Optical Character Recognition, often abbreviated as OCR, serves as a method to read and convert written text. This includes any text that a computer can process, like things that are printed or written by hand.
OCR for images is part of recognizing images and is usually used for printed materials such as reports, bills, passports, and business cards. This technology turns the text in these documents into a form that computers can read and edit.
The purpose of this article is to describe the growth of OCR and its role in pulling out data from documents, along with real-life examples.
Understanding OCR
OCR technology identifies text from documents that are printed or handwritten, picking out each letter and number. It changes images into text that machines can read and change. This tech is important for understanding letters and signs in an image – a quick task for people, but harder for computers.
OCR programs help the computer see these dots as text, making it easier to find and change information in scanned papers.
How OCR Operates
There are three main parts to OCR:
- Preparing the Image: In this step, the original image is improved to make the text clearer and easier for the OCR to read.
- Recognizing Characters: Here, the OCR looks for specific parts of the data, only focusing on the most important bits to make the process more efficient.
- Refining after OCR: This last step fixes errors, often using a list of known words to help the program recognize text accurately, even complex things like serial numbers.
Smart Data Extraction Using OCR
The process of using OCR to get data includes these parts:
- Recognizing Metadata: This is about using automatic systems to find and handle data details in documents. This step helps to plan how to get the right data out of the documents.
- Getting Documents Ready: Before pulling out text, the OCR software makes the image of the document clearer and fixes any issues.
- Classifying Documents: In this phase, the OCR sorts the document by its format and structure, which is key to how it will recognize the text.
- Recognizing Characters: Now, the OCR analyzes the image to pick out and separate individual characters, turning them into text data.
- Checking Data Accuracy: After converting characters to text, this phase involves making sure the data is correct, fixing any errors.
- Machine Learning with Human Help: The final stage uses both advanced machine learning and human checks to make sure the data extraction is accurate.
These steps make OCR a powerful tool for turning various types of documents into digital data.
Examples of Data Extraction
Data extraction through OCR is used in different ways:
- Managing Databases: Data warehouses bring together information from many places, making it easier to share data.
- Web Scraping: This method collects information from websites, like prices and product details.
- Data Mining: This involves pulling important information out of large databases to help businesses make better decisions.
Easy and Safe Document Conversion
OCR Online is a notable example of image to text converters. It lets users change scanned PDFs, images, and photos into text that can be edited, or turn PDFs into Word or Excel files while keeping the layout. This tool is free, works on mobiles and computers, and doesn’t need users to sign up. It also deletes all documents after converting them, protecting user privacy.
In summary, OCR has made data extraction much simpler, more effective, and accurate. It’s not just a tool, but a force that changes how businesses use their data, from managing documents to enabling data-driven strategies. The impact of OCR is widespread, making it an essential part of modern technology.