OMR (Optical Mark Reader) Recognition and Processing

The LEADTOOLS OMR toolkit includes state-of-the-art OMR Recognition and Processing SDK technology for .NET (C# & VB), C/C++, WinRT, iOS, macOS, Java, and web developers. OMR Recognition and Processing is implemented with the Leadtools.Forms.Recognition and Leadtools.Forms.Processing assemblies.

Traditional OMR systems require specially designed forms. The optical marks have a certain specific minimum distance between marks. Forms must be printed on special paper and filling in must be done precisely in order for the mark to be counted as filled. Frequently a specific type of instrument must be used to fill in the optical marks. Care must be taken to ensure the completed forms do not get damaged, wet, wrinkled, etc.

Unlike traditional OMR systems, LEADTOOLS OMR technology is designed to accurately handle both specially designed forms(pre-designed forms for tests, surveys, evaluations, etc.), as well as free forms (forms that do not contain timing marks), at remarkable speed. Regardless of image resolution, scale, or other form-generation characteristics, it can still recognize and extract form fields. It is flexible enough to handle different types of optical marks (for example, check boxes, ovals, and circles), OCR, and barcodes. It can also recognize marks from different types of fill-in methods, and does not have constraints on the distance between OMR fields (as long as they are not touching each other). It does not require special scanning hardware because it can work with existing equipment. Nor does it require special substrates.

All of this is made possible by a framework that uses advanced image analysis to determine the position of marks and to perform a density check of the scan area quickly and accurately. The consequence of such robustness is the elimination of special paper costs, special form design costs, special equipment costs, etc. In addition, forms can be designed to use less paper since not as much white space is required. There should be time savings as well.

Performing data collection from paper-based forms like tests, surveys, or assessments can be more efficient and accurate when the LEADTOOLS OMR toolkit is used.

Key Features:

• Almost perfect detection of OMR field position and alignment

• Advanced OMR form alignment algorithm compensates for non-linear deformations introduced by different scanners, printers, and resolutions

• World-class accuracy and speed

• Enhanced recognition accuracy with powerful document cleanup and preprocessing, including dropout of form table lines

• Automatically detect, draw and name OMR fields in an image according to their row and column, to facilitate creating OMR master forms

• Automatically detect and correct page orientation and skew angle

• Unique color and bitonal image recognition for scanned documents and pictures

• High level classes allow adding form recognition with very little code

• Low level functionality for full customization

• Full source code for an end-user Forms Recognition and Processing application, plus hundreds of lines of sample source code

• Multi-threaded OCR to power high performance, server-based applications

• Native 32-bit and 64-bit forms recognition and processing binaries

• Generates comprehensive results and confidence level reports to assess performance

• Integrates seamlessly with the LEADTOOLS Forms Recognition and Processing SDK

• Implement large-scale distributed OMR applications using the LEADTOOLS Distributed Computing SDK

• Use LEADTOOLS Fast TWAIN to rapidly scan documents

• Integrate with LEADTOOLS Document Imaging workflow functions to incorporate scanning, deskew, OCR, ICR, PDF OCR, MICR, redaction, and annotation with OMR recognition and processing.

• Recognize different types of OMR fields (check boxes, ovals, or circles)

• Recognize marks created by pens, markers, crayons, or pencils

• Recognize forms created in Word or other programs, in addition to traditional, specially-designed forms

• Recognize forms printed on plain paper or on traditional specially-designed forms

• Recognize marks in OMR fields that are extremely close together (as long as they are not touching each other)

• Recognize and extract form fields regardless of image resolution, scale, or other form-generation characteristics

• Handle OMR forms with or without timing marks

• Handle any of 150+ input file formats, including different bits-per-pixel, dpi, scales, skew angles, and noise.