Lucid Math Autor: Tanish Shrivastava

Lucid Math is a browser extension designed to make mathematics on the web more accessible for screen reader users. Most online math content is written in MathML, a markup language optimized for visual rendering. While this works well for sighted users, it poses challenges for those who rely on screen readers. Equations are often spoken aloud but cannot be copied in a useful form, and in many cases only the raw MathML markup is accessible. This makes it hard to solve problems step by step, retrace mistakes, or study efficiently.
Lucid Math addresses this problem by scanning web pages for MathML content and converting it into plain, readable text. The converted version appears directly under the original math, prefixed with the label “Plaintext:” so it is easy to find. Users can read the equations with their screen reader character by character, or copy them into a notepad for practice.
The extension supports a wide range of MathML tags, including fractions, roots, subscripts, superscripts, sums, products, and multiscripts. Grouping symbols, relational operators, and basic algebraic notation are all rendered in familiar plaintext form. This ensures equations can be understood and manipulated without needing to transcribe them manually from speech.
Lucid Math has been tested with popular learning resources such as Khan Academy and OpenStax textbooks. It is designed to reduce cognitive load, improve study flow, and give blind and visually impaired learners the freedom to engage with math online in the same way sighted learners do.