What is a scanner? (2024)

What is a scanner?

A scanner is a device that captures images from photographic prints, posters, magazine pages and similar sources for computer editing and display.

Scanners work by converting the image on the document into digital information that can be stored on a computer through optical character recognition (OCR).

This process is done by a scanning head, which uses one or more sensors to capture the image as light or electrical charges.

The document scanner moves either the physical document or the scanning head, depending on the type of scanner. Then, the scanner processes the scanned image and produces a digital image that can be stored on a computer.

Scanners usually attach to a computer system and come with scanning software applications that let you resize and otherwise modify a captured image.

If a printer is hooked up to the computer, you could print a second hard copy of the scanned image and store it in digital format.

What types of scanners are available?

Modern scanners come in handheld, feed-in and flatbed types and are for scanning black-and-white only or color.

  • Flatbed scanners are the most common type of scanner. They are called "flatbed" because the document is placed on a flat surface for scanning. Flatbed scanners can scan documents of various sizes and are generally more versatile than sheetfed scanners.
  • Sheetfed scanners are designed to scan documents fed into the scanner one at a time. Scanners with automatic document feeders are smaller and more portable than flatbed scanners and are often used in home offices or small businesses.
  • Handheld scanners are portable scanners that are smaller than flatbed scanners. They are designed for scanning documents on the go, such as newspaper articles or printed photos.
  • 3D scanners are a bit different than traditional scanners in that they collect distance point measurements from a real-world object and translate them into a virtual 3D object.

However, it's also worth noting that scanners are embedded in other devices such as photocopiers, barcode scanners and fax machines used to make copies of documents and images.

In addition to the intended purpose of a scanner, a buyer will also need to know the type of image resolution they need from the scanner.

What is a scanner? (2)

What is scanner resolution?

Image resolution refers to the number of pixels captured by the scanner sensor and is measured in dots per inch (dpi). The higher the dpi, the greater the scanner's ability to capture detail.

For example, a scanner with a resolution of 1200 dpi can capture 1200 pixels per inch of an image.

Very high-resolution image scanners are used for scanning for high-resolution printing, but lower-resolution scanners are adequate for capturing high-quality images for computer display.

The scanner's resolution is determined by the number of sensors in the scanning head.

Manufacturers of scanners

Some major manufacturers of scanners include Epson, Hewlett Packard, Microtek and Relisys. These companies offer a variety of scanner types and resolutions from which to choose.

For example, Epson offers flatbed and handheld scanners, with resolutions ranging from 300 dpi to 12800 dpi.

Hewlett Packard offers sheetfed and flatbed scanners, with resolutions ranging from 1200 dpi to 4800 dpi.

Microtek manufactures only flatbed scanners, with resolutions ranging from 1200 dpi to 3200 dpi.

Relisys manufactures both sheetfed and flatbed scanners, with resolutions up to 2400 dpi.

When choosing a scanner, consider the type of scanner you need as well as the image resolution you require. Pricing varies depending on the brand, type, resolution and whether it is intended for personal or business use.

Decide on a budget first, then compare the features offered by different manufacturers to find the scanner that best meets your needs.

See also: 2D barcode, document reader, document capture, enterprise document management, TWAIN

This was last updated in April 2022

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What is a scanner? (2024)

FAQs

What is a scanner in computer? ›

A scanner is a device that allows you to digitize physical documents, images, or even objects, and convert them into a digital format that can be viewed, edited, and stored on a computer. It's like a digital photocopier that captures the content of a document or image and saves it as a file.

What is scanner answer short? ›

A scanner is a device that captures images from photographic prints, posters, magazine pages and similar sources for computer editing and display. Scanners work by converting the image on the document into digital information that can be stored on a computer through optical character recognition (OCR).

How does a scanner work? ›

Scanners work by shining light at an image, document, or object. In simple terms, the reflected light is then directed onto photosensitive technology via mirrors and lenses, then converted into electronic data that is used to form a digital copy of the original.

What are the three types of scanners? ›

What are 3 types of scanners? There are three types of scanners available: drum scanner, flatbed, and handheld scanners. The publishing industry primarily uses drum scanners to print high-quality images, while flatbed scanners are generally used in schools and offices.

How do I find my scanner on my computer? ›

If you want to see if your scanner is installed, make sure that your scanner is turned on and use the Open the Printers & scanners settings button, or follow these steps: Select Start > Settings > Devices > Printers & scanners. Under Printers & devices, look for your scanner.

How do I scan a document? ›

To set up a shortcut to scan documents:
  1. Open your Android phone or tablet's widgets.
  2. Find the "Drive scan" widget.
  3. Touch and hold the widget.
  4. Drag it onto your Home screen. You may be asked to select an account.
  5. Choose the folder you'll save documents inside. If you want to create a folder, tap New Folder. ...
  6. Tap Select.

Is a scanner an input device? ›

A scanner is considered an input device rather than an output device since the flow of data is always in the direction of the computer. This is taking place as a result of the data being entered into the computer.

What are the benefits of scanning? ›

Information is constantly degrading, through constant use and general aging. Documents, drawings and micro-formats become torn, faded and possibly brittle. Scanning the information will capture the image and the scan will not degrade. Accessibility, Time Saving. Make information available to people at their desks.

What not to do with scanner? ›

Do not place or store the scanner outdoors, in a car, near excessive dirt or dust, water, heat sources, or in locations subject to shocks, vibrations, condensation, high temperature or humidity, direct sunlight, strong light sources, or rapid changes in temperature or humidity.

How do you use a scanner for beginners? ›

How to scan a document
  1. Step one: Ensure your scanner is turned on and connected. ...
  2. Step two: Open your scanning software. ...
  3. Step three: Place the pages you want to be scanned into the scanner. ...
  4. Step four: Scan document. ...
  5. Step five: Check scan preview. ...
  6. Step six: Save scanned document.
Feb 26, 2024

How to safely use a scanner? ›

Never place small objects, such as staples, paper clips, or jewelry on the scanner. These items may fall into the scanner and cause a fire or electric shock. If such objects ever fall inside the scanner, immediately close the feed tray, turn the scanner OFF, and disconnect the USB cable.

What is the most commonly used scanner? ›

Flatbed scanners: Flatbed scanners are the most common type of scanner. They are designed to scan flat documents, such as letters, photos, and books. Flatbed scanners typically have a glass platen where the document is placed, and a light source that moves across the document to capture the image.

What is the most popular type of scanner? ›

The most common type of scanner is a flatbed scanner. The term "flatbed" refers to the fact that the document is scanned on a flat surface. Flatbed scanners are more versatile than sheetfed scanners and can scan documents of various sizes.

What is the most common type of scanner? ›

The most common types include flatbed scanners, sheet-fed scanners, portable scanners, and three-dimensional (3D) scanners. Flatbed scanners have a flat glass bed where you place the document or image, while sheet-fed scanners are designed to handle multiple documents in a stack.

What is the difference between a printer and a scanner? ›

1. A printer can be defined as a hardware output device which is used to generate the hard copy of a document. Scanner can be defined as an input device that scans the documents such as pages of text and photographs and then convert them into a digital format.

Is a scanner an input or output device? ›

A scanner is considered an input device since it provides information to the computer in the form of scanned images. It will take anything that is physically present, such as a paper or a picture, and convert it into a digital form before transferring it to your personal computer.

Why is scanner function used? ›

The Scanner is mostly used to receive user input and parse them into primitive data types such as int, double or default String. It's a utility class to parse data using regular expressions by generating tokens.

Is a scanner a software or hardware device? ›

The correct answer is Hardware. LCD, scanner, and printer are hardware devices. Computer hardware includes the physical parts of a computer, such as a case, central processing unit (CPU), monitor, mouse, keyboard, computer data storage, graphics card, sound card, speakers, and motherboard.

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