This chapter aims at introducing a new concept - data Capture. Data Capture, simply put, involves the acquisition of raw materials for use in the computer. It involves, for example, collecting documents, making measurements to be typed into the computer and filling of questionaires. Data Capture techniques are the methods and devices employed to gather raw information into the computer for processing. It also involves the acquisition of system Output for storage and future reference. The main purpose of data capture is to facilitate and provide a broader base of information flow.
CATEGORIES OF DATA CAPTURE TECHNIQUES
There are basically, two categories of data Capture techniques. These are: (1) manual, and (2) automated data capture techniques. Manual data capture techniques employ the use of the computer Keyboard. Key - to - disk and key - to - tape are manual process. Other manual data capture devices are touch screen, light pen, and digitizers.
A touch screen is a video display screen sensitized to receive input data from the touch of the finger. Pen - based Computer system are made to accept handwriting and marks entered onto the computer by users but means of pen - like stylus rather than the normal use of the computer Keyboard. Such computer systems make use of handwriting recognition software yo translate the handwriting into the computer readable character and data. The light pen is a light sensitive pen like devices connected by a wire to the computer terminal. A digitizer converts drawings and photos to digital data through the use of a mouse like copying devices called a puck.
A digitizer although grouped under the pen input devices, it is safe to categorize it as an automated data Capture. It operates more like an ADC device than manual. It is used to make maps and engineering drawings. Manual data capture also involves the use of survey and questionaires.
Automated data capture techniques use input devices other than the keyboard. Automated data capture devices are documents readers, barcode scanners and sensors for logging data.
METHODS OF DATA CAPTURE
Methods of data capture from electronic formats are the three types, namely, data from digital documents and forms, legacy data import, and voice capture.
Data from Digital Documents: The ability to directly capture Digital data eliminates it's conversion into paper - readable data for the purpose of capture. Software tools are now available to capture multiple types of digital data to be utilized within the Business process.
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) technologies are designed to enable two system to interact with the data interchange not human readable. Formate ( data capture tools) has the ability to capture and format an EDI stream to create human readable documents and upload them to a document management system fir storage.
Legal Data import: Legal system contains documents that are hard to access. Data in such Systems can be captured and indexed for Business systems. Open Text Documents Server, Formate, Onbase, Datagrabber are available products used to extract data from legacy system to enable easy and fast access.
Voice Capture: A more common but unnoticed means of data capture is communication. Voice commands are used to capture data today because of available technology. Most Microsoft products are activated over the phone following Voice command. Electric or gas meter reading are updated through the phone in developed countries. CallXpress is a software application that enables the capture of voice commands for storage in a document management system.
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| Sound Wave |
Other documents readers and ADC devices would be discussed in the next session.
ADC TECHNOLOGIES
This section features on ADC devices available as documents readers, scanners, barcode readers and card readers. Other forms of ADC TECHNOLOGIES are radio frequency identification (RFID) and biometrics.
Documents Readers
Documents readers are scanners in the form of Optical mark recognition (reader), Optical character recognition, and magnetic ink character recognition.
1. Optical Mark Recognition (OMR): OMR uses devices that has the ability to read lines or marks which have been made inexactly the right position on a document as in answer to objective questions.
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| An OMR scanner |
It reads and converts pencil marks Inyo Computer readable form. OMR had its application in the SAT and GRE exams. Compared to the manual methods, OMR is simple, efficient and of high computational through put.
2. Optical Character Recognition (OCR): OCR contains scammers that reads pre printed texts, and software that recognizes text from their shape. OCR converts the read character/text to Digital code capable of being transformed into the readable text.
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| OCR software |
It is important to note that OCR machines can only capture characters of specific font or typeface design. The most common OCR scanning device is the wand reader available in departmental stores for the price tags and other utility bills.
3. Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MIRC): MICR numbers are found at the bottom of cheques. MICR characters are printed with magnetized inks and can only be read by MICR scanners to produce a digitized signal capable of being transformed into meaningful information to the users.
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| OMR Scanner |