ABSTRACT
This entry is a basic overview of the technology and uses of optical character recognition (OCR). OCR is a technology used to capture text from printed page and convert it to a machine-readable format. The history of OCR’s major milestones and implementations is covered as well as the most widespread current applications. The realm of OCR is split into two basic categories: OCR hardware and OCR software. Their respective uses and advantages are covered so as to outline the form from one system to another. The hurdles of OCR technology, such as manuscript capture and archaic printing practices, are discussed and possible solutions based on current research presented.
