PhotoScribe® Series - PS976 Imaging Mark Reader

World Leading 'Real Time' Data Capture Technology

The PS976 is built on the PhotoScribe® technology and encapsulates the latest developments in high volume data capture.  Designed and manufactured by DRS in Milton Keynes, it can be provided as an integral element in one-off data capture projects or can be provided for outright purchase for continual on-site use.  As a robust network-ready reader, the PS976 is typically used for large volume data capture and imaging exercises such as census projects, examination processing, voter registration and complex ballot counts.

A Holistic Approach

DRS takes a holistic approach to time-critical, complex, high volume data capture and although the PS976 has been designed to handle most paper form types, it is primarily intended for use with forms designed for electronic data capture.  That is, printed on high quality paper with form design elements that assist quality checking during scanning.

As part of its service offering, DRS provides a specialist and highly qualified forms design and print facility experienced in producing such high quality forms to ensure efficiency and accuracy are maintained throughout the data capture exercise.

Real Time Data Capture

The key distinguishing capability of the PS976 over traditional document scanners and readers is 'real time data capture'.  Unlike conventional imaging scanners or readers which only produce an image, from which data is later extracted, the PS976 allows an application to retrieve data and images from
a form while it is still in the reader.  The results can be used to control which output stacker a form goes to or to control what is overprinted on the form. It can even be used to take further conditional actions and collect additional data and images depending on the results retrieved.

This is a very powerful concept that makes the PS976 extremely flexible for demanding data capture tasks.  It ensures error correction costs are minimised and accuracy is maximised, whilst sustaining an industry-leading throughput of up to 150 A4 pages per minute with an unlimited duty cycle.

General Key Features

Networked or Non Networked

The PS960 software technology is built around Windows® 7. This makes it very easy to integrate into any standard networked IT environment, retaining all of the usual security features and access control.

From an Administrator’s point of view, the PS976 is a PC on the network. It can also be used standalone where data may be stored directly to its fast, high-capacity internal drive and exported via memory stick or by writing data to the integral CD writer.

Scanning Intelligence

Application specific validation, flow control and general data processing are provided by the software being used to control the reader.  However, the firmware in the PS976 handles all interaction with its operator so that the application does not have to deal with the complexities of handling multiple sheets and exception processing.  Although multiple complex operations are running simultaneously in the background, the PhotoScribe® interface presents a very simple model of 'one sheet at a time' to the software.

Data Options

The PS976 offers an unprecedented range of data capture capabilities, some standard and some optional.  Examples of the types of information that can be extracted from a form and actions that can be applied include:

• Full duplex bitonal or greyscale images and clips
• Various barcode formats
• Raw optical marks or decoded marks (backward compatible Optical Mark Recognition)
• Optional real time Optical Character Recognition
• Optional carriage printing (printing data on the form)
• Optional stacker extensions allowing for use of forms up to 18”.

Click on the icons below to read news items about these prestigious awards.