Scanning emobossed surface

[Frank]

Hi
I' want to scan braille code (emobossed dots for blind readers). Does
anyone know a scanner (8 inch * 3 inch or similar) which can be placed
on a page and would deliver the surface topology, or would give me an
image with shadows of the embossed dots. The most scanners have some
shadow. But these shadows are difficult to see if the paper itself is
colored. Maybe some sort of 3d scanner would be a solution?

 

[CSM1]

Hi
I' want to scan braille code (emobossed dots for blind readers). Does
anyone know a scanner (8 inch * 3 inch or similar) which can be placed
on a page and would deliver the surface topology, or would give me an
image with shadows of the embossed dots. The most scanners have some
shadow. But these shadows are difficult to see if the paper itself is
colored. Maybe some sort of 3d scanner would be a solution?

The only way I know to make the raised bumps to show on a standard scanner
is to roll the Braille code with an inked hard roller first.

The black ink will coat the raised bump and leave the main part with no ink.
You would than have black dots in the scan.

Example roller: About middle of page.
Fingerprint Ink Roller - 2-0015
http://www.securityandsafetysupply.com/department-supplies/fingerprints-16.html


There is supplies there also Ink, and a inking slab.

 

[-]

Just brainstorming here but if CSM's method isn't practical, I was wondering
if there would be any solutions using a flatbed that has reflective ICE
capabilities (as opposed to film ICE) like an Epson 4870 or 4990 or Microtek
i900. If you could get the data (not the actual final corrected scan
itself) from the second comparative scan which uses the second offset light
source position, it should provide you with the data you desire. I am not
sure of an easy and practical way to get this raw data but if this is a huge
and important project, then it might warrant investigating.

Doug

 

[Tristan Miller]

Greetings.

I' want to scan braille code (emobossed dots for blind readers). Does
anyone know a scanner (8 inch * 3 inch or similar) which can be placed
on a page and would deliver the surface topology, or would give me an
image with shadows of the embossed dots. The most scanners have some
shadow. But these shadows are difficult to see if the paper itself is
colored. Maybe some sort of 3d scanner would be a solution?

If you don't have a lot of pages to scan, you might consider making a
rubbing and then scanning that. (That is, place a sheet of thin tissue
paper over the Braille text and rub lightly with charcoal, graphite, or a
dark crayon.) You can postprocess the image to extract the dots.

Regards,
Tristan

 

[Brendan R. Wehrung]

Hi
I' want to scan braille code (emobossed dots for blind readers). Does
anyone know a scanner (8 inch * 3 inch or similar) which can be placed
on a page and would deliver the surface topology, or would give me an
image with shadows of the embossed dots. The most scanners have some
shadow. But these shadows are difficult to see if the paper itself is
colored. Maybe some sort of 3d scanner would be a solution?

Have you considered a digital camera on a tripod? The problem is that the
light source is very close to the scanning element, so the light goes
right down and back into the chip. YOu seem to want side-lit, which can
be accomplished with a light, utrning the camera's flash off. The
trickest thing is to get the camera perpidicular to the page, so you don't
get keystoning.

Brendan

 

[Frank]

Hi all, Thanks very much for the innovative answers!

1. Black ink does not work for me
2. Graphite does also not work, I'd rather would scan the back of the
embossed paper. The back would work, but it would be much nicer to do
it on the front.
3. The camera solution is ok, but it's less easy to use (and move
around) than a scanner.

-> The solution with the second ligth source seems great (Epson
4870..). But the scanner should be placeable on the paper (and not the
paper on the scanner) because the paper is big and moving around is not
wished. So does anyone know a scanner (reflective ICE) which can be
placed on the paper with the glass downwards? (Or can any flatbed be
placed face down?)

 

[Frank]

Hi all, Thanks very much for the innovative answers!

1. Black ink does not work for me
2. Graphite does also not work, I'd rather would scan the back of the
embossed paper. The back would work, but it would be much nicer to do
it on the front.
3. The camera solution is ok, but it's less easy to use (and move
around) than a scanner.

-> The solution with the second ligth source seems great (Epson
4870..). But the scanner should be placeable on the paper (and not the
paper on the scanner) because the paper is big and moving around is not
wished. So does anyone know a scanner (reflective ICE) which can be
placed on the paper with the glass downwards? (Or can any flatbed be
placed face down?) For example the Fujitsu Fi60-f would be great,
because it's fast and small. Or maybe is there a scanner which just
scans the topology?

 

[-]

4870..). But the scanner should be placeable on the paper (and not the

paper on the scanner) because the paper is big and moving around is not
wished. So does anyone know a scanner (reflective ICE) which can be
placed on the paper with the glass downwards?

After disassembling similar Epson scanners and seeing how the optical system
travels within the scanner, I am 99% sure that you cannot flip the 4870/4990
over and have it scan right. Unfortunately, I also doubt any scanner that
works in the manner you desire will have reflective ICE as a feature.

Doug

 

[Frank]

The hp 4600 can be placed glass downwards, but I don't know anything
about this scanner.

 

[Brendan R. Wehrung]

The hp 4600 can be placed glass downwards, but I don't know anything
about this scanner.

I bought the HP 4670 at Thanksgiving for exactly this use, but I'm not
sure it solves the problem. It comes in two independant pieces, a holder
and the scanner, each with clear glass. The light and sensor travel
inside a glass sandwich of one piece; the other is just an angled piece of
glass to hold the document.

This means the scanner part can be taken off and used with no reference to
the holder, either facing up or facing down. I bought it (on sale)
because I have a large map I'm hoping I can scan in pieces and then have
the included stitching softwaresew together.

The problem it probably does not solve in the case here is getting a
light to play across, rather than directly down onto, a textured surface.
The light is very close to the sensor, and therefore no better than a
normal scanner. The only thing that might work is that since you can see
the document through the glass sandwich, you can also shine a light
through it and enough might leak through the thickness of glass to give
some relief.

________________________________________________________
_______________glass_____________________________________
[ light ] [sensor] -->
________________________________________________________
______________glass____________________________________

The holder for the light and sensor is about 2" wide and
not much light leaks out, so it's pretty tight against
the document.

But you can certainly move it around on a larger page.

Brendan

 

[Frank]

Hey thanks for the answer. I thought about using this scanner, building
a device to lift up the scanner a little bit (1 to 2 inches) and have
an extra light from the side. Do you know if the scan light can be
switched off?