optical scanning

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.
Compare optical character recognition.
Origin
1955-60
British Dictionary definitions for optical scanner

optical scanner

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 computer See also optical character reader
optical scanner in Science
optical scanner  
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.