What is OCR, OMR and MICR !
Today, we will talk about the recognition techniques. You already heard about OCR, OMR and MICR, these are the recognition techniques used in today's computer systems. So lets get started with OCR:-
OCR (Optical Character Recognition):-
OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition. It is the mechanical or electronic translation of scanned images of handwritten, typed or printed text into the machine-encoded text. It is widely used to convert books and documents into electronic files, to computerize a record-keeping system in an office, or to publish the text on a website. OCR makes it possible to edit the text, search for a word or phrase, store it compactly in digital format of any printed document. OCR is a field of research in pattern recognition, artificial intelligence and computer vision.
OCR system require calibration to read a specific font, early versions needed to be programmed with the images of each character, and worked on one font at a time. "Intelligent" system with a high degree of recognition accuracy for most fonts are now common. Some system are capable of reproducing formatted output that closely approximates the original scanned page including images, column and other non-textual components. It uses two methods for recognition: Matrix matching and Feature extraction.
OMR (Optical Mark Recognition/Reader):-
You already aware of the word OMR. It is widely used for conducting surveys, competitive exams, etc. So what basically OMR is? OMR stands for Optical Mark Recognition. It is a recognition technique which reads the pencil/pen marks on NCS compatible scan forms such as surveys or test answer forms. If that all seems overly technique to you, just thing of it as the machine checks multiple choice computer forms. The computer test forms designed for the OMR are known as NCS compatible scan forms. Tests and surveys completed on these forms are read in by the scanner, checked, and then the results are saved to a file.
OMR is the process of capturing data by contrasting reflectivity at predetermined positions on a page. By shining a beam of light onto the paper, the scanner is able to detect a marked area because it reflects less light than the blank areas of the paper. Some OMR devices use forms which are preprinted onto "Trans-optic paper" and measure the amount of light which passes through the paper, thus a mark on either side of the paper will reduce the amount of light passing through the paper.
MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition):-
MICR stands for Magnetic Ink Character Recognition. It is a character recognition technology used primarily by the banking industry to facilitate the processing of cheques and makes up the routing number and account number at the bottom of a cheque. The technology allows computers to read information (such as account numbers, bank code, etc) of printed document.
MICR characters are printed in special typefaces with a magnetic ink or toner, usually containing iron oxide. As a machine decodes the MICR text, it first magnetizes the characters in the plane of the paper. Then the characters are passed over a MICR read head, a device similar to the playback head of a tape recorder. As each character passes over the head it produces a unique waveform that can be easily identified by the system. The use of magnetic printing allows the characters to be read reliably even if they have been overprinted or obsured by other marks, such as cancellation stams and signature. The error rate for the magnetic scanning of a typical cheque is smaller than with optical recognition systems.
Hope this article helps you to understand the different recognition technology used in today's computer systems. If you have any query or suggestion, feel free to ask in the comment section below. I will be happy to hear from you.
