I need to be able to get data off these things with a handheld image scanner (Don't have it yet, so I can't play with it). The information is simply text on a sticker similar to...

7294
LOT 105D912
04/2025

I've got to be able to do this without someone sitting there typing all the data in and barcodes aren't an option as we're not the ones in control of generating the data.

Any ideas? Would the scanner be reliable in getting accurate data? Obviously I haven't done the research

I'm assuming I'll have to use the scanner to capture the image then run the image through OCR?

[Edited on May 4, 2009 at 2:06 PM. Reason : ]

5/4/2009 2:04:17 PM

Depending on the size and nature of the sticker in question, it might be easier to do OCR from a digital image taken from a hand-held device like a digital camera or camera phone. Obviously, how you'd acquire the image data to be OCRed would be a function of volume and environment. OCR is a pretty robust technology these days and it very good when dealing with high-contrast text.

[Edited on May 4, 2009 at 3:09 PM. Reason : more info]

5/4/2009 3:08:19 PM

A good digital camera with Macro mode is going to give you MUCH better OCR results.

5/4/2009 3:41:10 PM

Thanks guys

5/4/2009 4:31:35 PM

What's your acceptable percentage error rate? That will answer most of the questions of which technology is acceptable.

5/4/2009 9:49:20 PM

A picture example of the sticker would also be helpful. Handwriting (or even shitty printing) can totally rule out OCR.

5/5/2009 1:33:42 PM