optical scanner

noun

1. the process of interpreting data in printed, handwritten, bar-code, or other visual form by a device (optical scanner or reader) that scans and identifies the data.

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 computerSee also optical character reader

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. See also A/D converter.