OCR

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) converts printed or handwritten text in images into machine-readable data. It processes scanned documents and camera-captured images to extract text.

OCR and QR codes both read information through cameras but differ fundamentally. OCR interprets human-readable characters, with accuracy varying by font, size, angle, and lighting. Handwritten text and complex characters inevitably produce errors. QR codes, designed from the ground up for machine reading, achieve near-perfect accuracy through built-in error correction.

This difference creates complementary use cases. In healthcare, handwritten prescriptions risk OCR misreads, but encoding prescription data in QR codes ensures 100% accurate transmission. Logistics slips, manufacturing lot management, and government forms are all migrating from OCR to QR codes where data accuracy directly impacts operations.

The two technologies also work together. Business cards commonly use OCR for names and addresses while providing a QR code (vCard) on the back for precise contact data - combining human readability with machine accuracy.