Abraham Nemeth, the blind designer of the internationally recognised Nemeth Braille Maths Code that simplified symbols for easier use in advanced maths and science, has died. He was 94.
Nemeth, who was originally discouraged from pursuing his passion for maths because of his blindness, died of congestive heart failure on Wednesday at his home in Detroit, said his niece, Dianne Bekritsky.
She says her "uncle Abe" had passions ranging from science to music - he even worked his way through college by playing piano in bars - and was long devoted to the blind community.
Nemeth started working on the code in the 1940s, seeking a simpler system to what was being used at the time.
The New York native, who also spent 30 years as a maths professor at the University of Detroit Mercy, continued to develop the maths code until the end of his life and has been lauded for his work by the blind community and advocates.
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The Nemeth code is a Braille version of mathematical and scientific symbols.
Nemeth wanted to create for maths what the literary Braille code provides for words, but make it useful for algebra, geometry and calculus.
He was preceded in death by two wives. He is survived by three stepchildren, two nephews and a niece.
