Zero Footprint and Mobile Scanning

The concept of capturing a document without having to utilize a traditional scan client is emerging as a hot topic in our market. A few weeks ago I had a conversation with former ImageSource CTO Shadwick White, who recently launched a start-up CloudPower that is focused on creating cloud-based ECM solutions utilizing next-generation tools. This includes leveraging technology from vendors like Box.net and Google to create innovative ECM solutions. Of course true to his roots, White is also working on some proprietary zero-footprint scanning technology that he plans to debut shortly.

Zero footprint scanning was also a topic at the recent Kofax Transform conference, as Kofax was promoting the newest version of the DotImage SDK that is acquired with Atalasoft last year. Atalasoft has always promoted zero-footprint document viewing, but  historically, its scanning has been done with an ActiveX TWAIN driver. Atalasoft is apparently working on some Java-based scanning technology that will enable it to do "minimal footprint" scanning at least.

Remember Kofax's Document Scan Server? That was actually some pioneering technology in the area of zero-footprint scanning, as it leveraged Web-services calls to move images from a utility attached to a scanner to server-based apps. Kofax actually showed it way back at AIIM 2006. When I caught up with CTO Anthony Macciola at Transform, he indicated that the DSS initiative is still alive but that it originally failed due to technology costs at the time.

"Atalasoft has a mandate to try and achieve zero footprint scanning," Macciola told me. "In fact, the next release of its SDK will have a browser plug-in that will interrogate the system and user has, and if they have the right components, such as Silverlight running on Windows 7, they might not need to use a driver to scan. As the Windows OS matures, it's possible zero footprint scanning could be even more common."

And, of course, EMC Pixel has released its Captiva Cloud Toolkit, which is designed to enable ISVs with cloud applications to capture without traditional drivers. Instead of a traditional ISIS driver, there is a Web services-oriented piece loaded onto the PC connected to a scanner. The cloud-based piece of the SDK can make calls this PC-based software to drive a scanner. When we spoke with EMC's Sean Baird late last year, he indicated that several hardware vendors and some ISVs as well were working with this SDK.

So, there's quite a bit being done to move scanner drivers into the 21st century it appears, not to mention all the mobile capture stuff where drivers are actually replaced by apps.

Quest Buys RemoteScan

In addition to the more publicized Nuance acquisition of Equitrac, there was another smaller, but still somewhat intriguing acquisition recently in the document imaging industry. Quest Software, which appears to be an approximately $800 software and services roll-up, recently bought RemoteScan.

I did a story on RemoteScan a few years back, and at the time, they had a pretty unique product for enabling scanning in Citrix environments, where it is hard to work with conventional scanning deployments and drivers. [Go to page six on the link.]

From the note I received from the RemoteScan/Quest management team: "Quest is thrilled to add RemoteScan’s innovative products to its growing desktop virtualization business. Quest vWorkspace is already one of the industry’s leading virtual desktop management solutions, and RemoteScan’s products make for a natural addition. As you know, seamlessly connecting and managing peripheral devices for local and remotely connected users is a critical element in virtual desktop environments."

Document Imaging-related humor

From today's Non-Sequitor (yes, I still get the hard copy newspaper and read the comics). Please scroll to Oct. 28, if you are reading this after that post date).

It's funny because it's kind of true: In many cases inefficiencies make people feel more powerful. Inefficient process and more complex to manage than efficient ones, and managing complexity certainly has some job security associated with it. Just another challenge to selling imaging systems.

Article on Scan settings for OCR

This is a pretty insightful piece by OCR/data capture consultant Chris Riley of Living Analytics. One additional comment I'll make is that the scanning hardware vendors continue to introduce more versatile machines that address some of the demands that Chris mentions in his article. For example, Kodak has come out with a whole new series of scanners that capture in 300 dpi at the same speed as 200 dpi, and color speeds have almost caught up bi-tonal speeds.

We've also had many interesting conversations with vendors that specialize in the separation technology that Chris mentions and claim it can introduce OCR results on certain types of documents. As we've said before, we are entering a brave new world for recognition technologies.

Fujitsu Computer Products of America's Kevin Neal contributed these two helpful links on the same topic:

Increase ECM Automation Processes With Higher Resolution Scanning

Trends Towards Higher Resolution Scanning

Ralph