How often do you scan documents? In this digital era, the need to scan documents is increasing, from scanning letters, photos, books, and other important files.
With the rising demand for document scanning, the number of free online scanners has also grown. If you search for "scan documents" in the App Store or Play Store, you’ll find many different options available.
But how did document scanning technology originate? Why has it become an essential part of document management today? Let’s explore further.
The History of Document Scanning
The history of document scanning dates back to the 19th century. In 1860, Giovanni Caselli invented the pantelegraph, a device capable of transmitting images via telegraph cables. This invention laid the foundation for the fax technology we know today.
Then, in 1913, Édouard Belin introduced the Belinograph, a device that could scan images and transmit them through telephone lines, allowing long-distance image transmission more efficiently.
A major breakthrough occurred in 1975 when Ray Kurzweil and his team developed the Kurzweil Reading Machine, equipped with Omni-Font Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. This technology could recognize text in scanned documents and convert it into editable digital data. Since then, scanning technology has continued to evolve, making it easier and more accurate to convert physical documents into digital formats.
Recommended Free Online Scanners
With the increasing need for document digitization, various free online scanner applications have been developed to simplify the scanning and signing process. Here are some recommendations:
1. OnlineCamScanner
This platform provides an online photo scanning service, converting images into PDFs and allowing users to edit as needed. It also offers features like rearranging pages and removing unwanted parts.
2. ScanDoc
ScanDoc offers online document scanning and signing. Users can also convert images into PDF documents and request signatures via email. This free and easy-to-use service is ideal for everyday document scanning and signing needs.
3. Soda PDF Online
Soda PDF offers free Optical Character Recognition (OCR) online, allowing users to extract text from image files. This text can then be edited as needed.
4. PDF24 Tools
PDF24 provides a free online PDF scanner that lets users create PDF files using a webcam or smartphone. Documents can be scanned directly and converted into PDFs without installing any software.
5. CamScanner
CamScanner provides a document management solution for scanning, editing, and converting documents into various formats such as PDF, Word, and Excel. The application also supports OCR and digital document signing.
6. iLoveOCR
iLoveOCR is a free online OCR tool that can scan documents and images into editable formats such as Word, PDF, Excel, ePub, and text.
7. Magic Scan by VIDA
As a digital signature platform, VIDA offers a competitive edge with Magic Scan, a free online scanner. With Magic Scan, users can convert physical documents into digital documents and sign them instantly. VIDA allows users to complete multiple processes without switching between applications.
Magic Scan as a Free Online Scanner
Magic Scan is the perfect solution for converting physical documents and applying digital signatures. But why should documents be signed digitally? The answer lies in security.
Wet signatures on physical documents are vulnerable to forgery, especially with the sophistication of image editing applications. On the other hand, digital documents with digital signatures are protected by an Electronic Certificate, ensuring the signer's identity is verified. If the document content changes, its history can be tracked, preventing tampering and preserving the document’s integrity.
Magic Scan facilitates the transition from physical documents to digital documents, allowing users to apply a digital signature in one seamless process. There’s no need to switch between applications, just use the VIDA Sign app for the entire workflow.
With Magic Scan as a free online scanner, digitizing and signing documents has never been this easy!
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