Image scanner

Film scanner, for photographic slides

In computing, an image scanner is a device used to transfer images or text into a computer. There are special models for scanning photo negatives, or to scan books. In the computer, the signal from the scanner is transferred to a digital image. This image can then be edited, printed, etc. All scanners have special parts which are used to take a picture from an object.

Charge-coupled device or Contact Image Sensor parts take the light from the object and change it into a digital signal. The digital signal is then transferred to the computer memory or is read in the scanner's processor. With some software it can be changed to a compressed digital image, like JPEG or PNG. Text printed or written by hand can be changed to ASCII code by an OCR program.

Types

The main types of scanner

Desktop scanner (flatbed scanner). This is probably the most popular type. An object to be scanned (picture, image, text sheet) is put on the glass. Under the glass, there is a moving Image Sensor.
Hand scanner. The device is moved on the paper by hand. It was popular during the 1990s.
Rotary scanner (drum scanner) used for fast scanning large numbers of sheets of paper.
Smartphone scanner scans a document by taking a photo with the smartphone's camera.^[1]

Producers

Canon
HP
Lexmark
Mustek
Plustek
Other

Image Scanner Media

A flatbed scanner (Epson Perfection V850 Pro) with its lid open. Documents or images are placed face-down on the glass bed (the platen).
The first image ever scanned to a computer, of Russell A. Kirsch's newborn son, Walden (1957)
The Autokon series of scanners were the first flatbed scanners on the market designed for digital image processing; pictured is the 1000/DE, a successor model released in 1988.
A flatbed scanner (HP ScanJet IIC) with its lid closed
An automatic document feeder (Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500)
A handheld scanner (Logitech ScanMan Color)
A drum scanner (Hell Chromagraph DC 300) being operated
An overhead book scanner (CZUR ET Series) with lasers for calibration
A film scanner (Reflecta DigitDia 6000) designed for scanning slides
An illustration of a portable business card scanner