Techy Bits
OMR
OMR is the acronym used for Optical Mark Recognition or Optical Mark Reader. Optical mark recognition is the scanning of paper to detect the presence or absence of a mark in a predetermined position using an optical mark reader and is used for automated data entry.
Two early forms of OMR are paper tape and punch cards which use actual holes punched into the medium. Paper tape was used as early as 1857 as an input device for the telegraph and punch cards were created in 1890 and used as input devices for computers. The use of punch cards declined greatly in the early 1970's with the introduction of personal computers.
With modern OMR, where the presence of a filled in bubble or line is recognized, the recognition is done via an optical scanner or mark reader.
The use of OMR is not only limited to schools or data collection agencies; many businesses and health care agencies use optical mark readers to streamline their data input processes and reduce input error. The great majority of OMR Scanners used today are manufactured by either Pearson NCS or Scantron, who merged in 2008. MurrayData is an authorised UK distributor for these machines.
There are many applications for Optical Mark Recognition including: institutional research, community surveys, consumer surveys, tests & assessments, evaluations/feedback, data compilation, product evaluation, time sheets, inventory counts, membership subscription forms, and lotteries & voting
There are some disadvantages to Optical Mark Reading. If the user wants to gather large amounts of text then OCR or ICR is probably the best technology to use. For the most part however OMR provides a fast and accurate way to collect and input data. To see the OMR scanners that MurrayData supply, click here.