optical scanner

American  

[ahp-ti-kuhl skan-er] / ˈɑp tɪ kəl ˈskæn ər /

noun

1. Computers. a peripheral device that converts the text and images of a physical, usually printed, document into a digital format that can be stored, edited, and searched.

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optical scanner British  

noun

1. a computer peripheral device enabling printed material, including characters and diagrams, to be scanned and converted into a form that can be stored in a computer See also optical character reader

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optical scanner Scientific  

1. A device that converts printed images and text into digital information that can be edited, transmitted, and stored. Optical scanners work by electronically measuring the intensity of color at a large number of individual locations across the page (often using phototransistors), and converting these measurements into digital numerical values usable by computers and other digital devices.

2. See also A/D converter

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