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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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Then again, the issue may be related to the fact that Google decided to use an under-the-screen optical scanner instead of an ultrasonic one — and in that case, Pixel 6 owners may be stuck with the issue.

From The Verge

A new optical scanner - essentially an extremely advanced camera that Applied calls Enlight - scans a silicon wafer quickly for problem areas over about 15 minutes, and then an electron microscope zooms in for a closer look.

From Reuters

At the time, nearly every other in-display reader used an optical scanner, which was said to be slower and less reliable than the new ultrasonic one.

From The Verge

The reasons were typically minor, he said, such as a voter circling a candidate’s name on the ballot instead of filling in the oval, resulting in the optical scanner missing their choice..

From Washington Times

The issue appeared to occur on an optical scanner that stopped working after a couple of weeks of early voting, Martin said.

From Seattle Times