Google to Use Infrared Technology to Scan Books More Accurately

According to the Mountain View-based giant, Google, it takes too long to scan books in order to take them online, which is why the company unveiled another plan to digitize books so users could search them over the Internet.

The main problem behind the older technology of scanning books lies in the fact that the character recognition software requires a neat 2D image of the text. However, due to book biddings, pages are arched up on one of the other side of a book's spine, thus making it difficult for the scanner to interpret the bending text.

Last week, the number one search engine received the US 7508978 patent that can help the company solve its problem. A new technology will project an infrared pattern on top of open page spread, allowing two infrared cameras draw the 3D shape of the pages by identifying distortion to the pattern. The new technology will help spot the distorted text and the degree of correction required to read it correctly, reports New Scientist.