In this technology, you can convert an image of text into machine-readable text by using Optical Character Recognition (OCR). Your computer saves an image file when you scan a document, such as a receipt or a form. Using a text editor, there is no way to edit, search, or count the words in an image file.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is a tool that lets you copy text from a picture or file printout and paste it into your notes so you can change the words. It’s a great way to copy information from a business card you’ve scanned into OneNote. Once you have extracted the text, you can paste it into OneNote or another program, like Word or Outlook.
OCR software compares and recognizes characters in the scanned document using samples of text in different fonts and formats provided on the computer. OCR software uses feature detection to identify characters in the scanned copy by applying rules based on OCR on the characteristics of a particular letter or digit.
If you could quickly paste text from an image or scanned document into another document, it would be easy to get the text from the image, scanned document, or PDF file. The good news is that you don’t need to waste time typing everything out because there are programs that use optical character recognition (OCR) to analyze the letters and words in an image and convert them to text.
Why OCR is so important
The method is used to distinguish printed or handwritten text from digital images in visible documents. Hard copies or PDF files can also be used. With OCR, dark areas are identified as characters for identification and can be digitally archived, edited, and searched with documents using programs like Microsoft Office and Google Docs.
OCR technology can analyze printed or handwritten characters on digital images of physical documents, such as scanned paper documents. Since we can use software to maintain reading in several ways with digital text, we can use digital text for a variety of purposes.
A scanner with OCR technology converts bitmap pictures of characters into ASCII codes based on character recognition software. To begin the complete process, creating a bitmap of the document is the first step; with the help of software, OCR will translate the grid of points into ASCII text that will be understood by your PC and processed as letters, numbers, and special characters.
When converting bitmaps into text, OCR software analyzes every character’s bitmap and compares it with a set of characters it recognizes. Character reading is determined by matching or nearly matching a character pattern. A scanned character is rejected when it does not match a stored way.
How to use OCR
- Right-click the Tools center or the right-hand pane and select Scan & OCR.
- Choose a file: This may be a photo of a document or a scanned file created with a scanner or Adobe Scan. With a connected scanner, you can scan a document to create a new file.
- Documents can be enhanced by scanning or using camera images.
- You can clean up the image by selecting Enhance: Acrobat recognizes text from scanned documents automatically.
- The text on an image file can be manually recognized by selecting a Recognize Text.
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Advantage of OCR
- Using OCR, you can read information with high accuracy. Flatbed scanners produce top-quality images that are very accurate. Usually, flatbed scanners have top-quality photos that are very accurate.
- OCR provides a fast processing time. There is often a large amount of text input in a short period.
- It is common for paper-based forms to become electronic, which may be stored or mailed easily.
- A great deal of text data can be entered by hand without paying someone. The electronic form also takes less time to convert.
- Using the latest software, you can re-create tables and the original layout.
- This process is much faster than manually typing the information into the system.
- This advanced version can produce sites and re-creating tables.
Disadvantage of OCR
- OCR and not handwritten text can read only printed text. It needs to learn how to handwrite.
- OCR systems are highly-priced.
- A scanned image requires a great deal of space.
- It can lose quality during the scanning process.
- It is important to ensure that the first image is of good quality before the last photo is produced.
- Each document must be carefully reviewed and manually corrected.
- This is not a 100% accurate method; there may be mistakes.
- Small amounts of text are not worth doing
