Optical Character Recognition: Transforming Document Digitization

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) plays a pivotal role in digitizing textual content, streamlining the transformation of printed materials into editable digital formats. This advancement revolutionizes data entry and archival processes. Consequently, it enables efficient search and retrieval of information.

OCR Evolution

The evolution of OCR technology can be traced back to the pioneering efforts of Ray Kurzweil, whose innovation in the mid-1970s laid the foundation for OCR systems that could interpret a wide array of font styles. The subsequent acquisition by Xerox marked a significant milestone in the commercial application of OCR, bringing paper-to-digital conversion into the mainstream.

Today, OCR technology boasts remarkable accuracy, continually enhancing its ability to serve various industries and applications.

OCR Impact

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) has significantly impacted document digitization in various ways. Let’s explore some key points:

Improved Efficiency:

• Automating the document conversion process using OCR results in faster processing times and fewer errors compared to manual data entry methods.
• OCR enhances accuracy and reduces redundancy in workflows, making digitization more efficient.

Increased Security:

• Digital documents are easier to track and manage than physical copies.
• With OCR, organizations can securely store documents in cloud-based repositories, protecting them from disasters like fires or floods.

Enhanced Collaboration:

• Digital documents allow multiple stakeholders to view and share information from anywhere in the world.
• No more worries about misplacing hard copies—everything is accessible electronically.

Streamlined Workflow Management:

• Storing all documents digitally enables easy organization by project or client.
• Finding specific files becomes simpler without manual searches through stacks of paper records.

In summary, OCR not only saves time and money but also improves efficiency, security, collaboration, and workflow management during document digitization.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Offer

With the software option Scan2OCR in Bookeye 5 Overhead Book Scanner & WideTEK Wide-Format Scanners, users can quickly and easily transform books, files, and other documents into searchable multipage PDF files. During the scan, OCR and text analysis perform in the background, thus ensuring a smooth workflow and fast production without delays for OCR results.

Moreover, the OCR software currently supports more than 100 languages, including many from Asia, which are freely downloadable from the Customer Service Portal.

Additionally, Scan Wizard and Batch Scan Wizard in Bookeye & WideTEK Scanners now feature an enhanced OCR module “Scan2OCR,” based on the Tesseract OCR engine and Leptonica layout analysis software. Known as one of the best OCR software engines, the Tesseract engine supports more than 100 languages, including many from Asia.

Furthermore, many language packages are available for free download from our portal and can be installed on the target scanner. The engine performs best if activated with only one or two languages at a time. Initially developed by Hewlett-Packard and later taken over by Google, Tesseract OCR is now known as “Google Tesseract OCR.”

Also, the OCR engine runs in the background at a low priority level, utilizing all remaining computing power. This multitasking software does not slow down the scanning process or any other processes. If OCR in the Bookeye or WideTEK Scanner is enabled, the user scans as usual. Depending on the document size and the operator’s speed, it will OCR each page and may lag at certain stages. The software displays progress on each page, and at the end, it may take a few extra seconds to complete if it did not keep up from the start.

Contact ABTec Solutions today on Toll Free (800) 775.8993 or reach out and fill the form and we will contact you as soon as possible.