Readers

There are so many readers but just a few would be discussed. the few are; Magnetic Reader, Barcode reader, Optical Card reader, Smart Card reader, Magnetic Ink Character Recognition , Chip and Pin reader.

Optical Character Recognition

It is a widespread technology to recognise text inside images, such as scanned documents and photos. OCR technology is used to convert virtually any kind of images containing written text (typed, handwritten or printed) into machine-readable text data. OCR technology has proven immensely useful in digitising historic newspapers and texts that have now been converted into fully searchable formats and had made accessing those earlier texts easier and faster.

Fig 1.1 OCR

Barcode Reader
It is a hand-held or stationary input device used to capture and read information contained in a bar code.

A barcode reader works by directing a beam of light across the bar code and measuring the amount of light that is reflected back. (The dark bars on a barcode reflect less light than the white spaces between them.) The scanner converts the light energy into electrical energy, which is then converted into data by the decoder and forwarded to a computer. 

Fig 1.2 Barcode Reader

Magnetic Reader

A magnetic stripe reader is a device designed to read the information stored within the magnetic stripe of special cards such as credit cards and ATM cards. The magnetic stripe is usually located on the back of the card or badge and contains the account details of the person who owns the card. This information is then verified in real time with the issuer of the card.

Fig 1.3 Magnetic Reader

Sources

• Mari, Rina. “DIFFERENT TYPES OF READERS.” Prezi.com, 7 July 2015, prezi.com/hk_f8dlemlys/different-types-of-readers/.
• “What Is a Magnetic Stripe Reader? - Definition from Techopedia.” Techopedia.com, www.techopedia.com/definition/14458/magnetic-stripe-reader.
•  “What Is OCR And What Is It Used For?” Document Data Capture And Workflow Automation, 31 May 2018, docparser.com/blog/what-is-ocr/.
• “What Is Barcode Reader (POS Scanner, Bar Code Reader, Price Scanner)? - Definition from WhatIs.com.” WhatIs.com, whatis.techtarget.com/definition/barcode-reader-POS-scanner-bar-code-reader-price-scanner.