Often, we scan documents such as receipts, forms, flyers, etc., but we cannot edit them as they are saved as image files. Many businesses also require extracting data from scanned written or printed text. All these obstacles have one solution—Optical Character Recognition (OCR). OCR is a technology that can convert text into machine-readable form to extract and utilize data for various uses.
What is Optical Character Recognition?
OCR is a process that converts any file or document saved as an image into a machine-readable text format. The technology analyses the visual patterns of the text in a scanned document so that the computer can read it.
Suppose you scan a receipt. The computer will save it as an image. Since it is an image, you cannot edit it or count the words in the document, but if you use OCR, you can store the content of the image file as text data. So, you are converting your image into text data with OCR.
How Does OCR Work?
OCR helps businesses improve document accessibility. The technology makes scanned data more easily accessible and editable.
Here’s how an OCR solution typically works:
- Image Capture: A scanner reads and scans the document, which it then converts into binary data that any computer can interpret. After analyzing the document, OCR classifies the light areas as background and the dark areas as text.
- Image Enhancement: This is done to improve the readability and accuracy of OCR. The software cleans the file and removes noise and errors, eliminates any skew, adjusts the brightness and contrast, etc.
- Text Detection: After pre-processing, the software analyses the image to identify text and distinguish it from graphics by observing the patterns and shapes.
- Extraction: Once the text part of the document is identified, the software compares it with the existing database of patterns and characters. Then, the software arranges the recognized characters into words, sentences, and paragraphs based on their spacing within the document.
- Proofreading: This process is similar to proofreading and editing; the software corrects spelling or grammar mistakes.
- Output: The software finally gives text which can be edited and searched.
What Are The Benefits of OCR?
OCR software provides highly specialized solutions with high accuracy. It can convert even the most complex documents, including those with foreign currencies, multiple fonts, languages, etc., into machine-readable format.
There are several ways that OCR helps improve document accessibility.
- Digitization: OCR software can convert all physical books, documents, articles, etc., into digital format. The digital text files can then be edited and searched easily.
- Compliance: By using OCR, organizations can comply with the legal requirements for accessibility.
- Compatibility: All documents created using OCR technology are generally compatible with screen readers, screen magnifiers, and other assistive technologies. People with disabilities use these technologies. So, such compatible digital versions of documents improve the reading experience for a lot of people worldwide:
- People using screen readers can easily read the documents.
- People who are learning a new language. They can easily translate any document into their native language.
- People with reading difficulties can easily change the font size, magnify text, or change the font style.
- The data also becomes SEO-optimized. Search engines can easily read the content and include it in relevant searches.
- Extraction: OCR converts printed text into an accessible digital version compatible with a screen reader and tools with text-to-speech functions. You can also search, edit, and copy within the document. Using keywords or phrases in the document also makes finding relevant information easy.
- Alternative Text: OCR can be used to create Alt text, a textual description of images, graphs, charts, etc. Alt text is helpful for people with disabilities who use a screen reader to read.
- Braille Conversion: OCR software can be used alongside Braille conversion software to create content for people with vision disability.
- Navigation: OCR has features such as headings, structured content, ease of searching, etc. These make it easy for people with disabilities to navigate and use documents made with OCR technology.
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Industries Where OCR Plays a Key Role
Some of the sectors where OCR plays a key role are:
- Banking: Many bank forms, such as loan documents and cheques, are filled out by hand. Therefore, banks use OCR extensively to process and validate the data of such forms and documents. OCR software also helps banks authenticate transactions and prevent fraud.
- Healthcare: The healthcare industry is flooded with paperwork: patient information and records, insurance claim documents, diagnostic test papers, hospital records, etc. OCR keeps all the data updated and simplifies hospital workflows with minimal manual labor.
- Logistics: This industry involves tracking invoices, receipts, etc., all maintained efficiently by OCR software.
- Travel: For data storage and security purposes, OCR can fast-track travel and visa applications, passport checking and verification, etc. This makes travel quite easy for people and enhances their travel experiences.
- Food sector: Restaurants can use OCR to create digitized menus and store recipes with ingredient lists, nutrient and calorie information, etc.
- Education: Most printed textbooks and lecture notes can be converted into digital formats, and the files can be easily edited and searched. This makes storing, accessing, and sharing information, books, notes, etc., very convenient for teachers and students alike.
- Legal: OCR software helps legal professionals streamline their data and manage it better. They can create organized libraries for their legal information, and easy data searching and retrieval improves the speed of their services and proceedings.
- Media and Publishing: Media and publication houses have scanned and stored all old newspapers, journals, and magazines digitally. This allows data to be stored for a longer time and makes accessing historical data and facts quick and convenient.
How does PREP help?
PREP’s PDF Remediation Platform has a built-in OCR mode, which accurately recognizes documents even with poor quality or complex structures. This makes remediating complex documents easy.
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