A system designed to interpret marks made on paper documents is comprised of both hardware and instructions. The software component analyzes scanned images, identifying the presence and location of these marks according to predefined templates. For instance, grading multiple-choice tests accurately and efficiently relies on this technology to discern filled-in bubbles corresponding to student answers.
The implementation of such systems provides significant advantages in terms of speed and accuracy compared to manual data entry. Organizations benefit from reduced labor costs and minimized errors, particularly when dealing with large volumes of forms. Historically, this technology played a pivotal role in standardized testing and survey processing, streamlining workflows that were previously time-consuming and prone to human error.