In the previous issue of LSN we reported on work being undertaken at MIT to develop a digital scanner capable of scanning directly from bound library materials in fax applications. Similar work is also being pursued by the British Library. The stated scope of the British project encompasses not only fax but also other document digitizing applications such as transmission to remote locations, computer storage on optical digital disk as well as image enhancement and reproduction projects.
The equipment being developed in the U. K. can scan an 8-x-ll-inch page in less than eight seconds at a resolution of 200 lines per inch horizontally and vertically. The image digitizer and associated printer are expected to be commercially available in Britain this fall for approximately £30,000.
[Contact: Hugh Wifrian, New Reprographic Technologies Officer, British Library, Reference Division, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG, or Nick .1. Bradley, Managing Director, Optronics Limited, Cambridge Science Park, Milton. Road, Cambridge CB4 4BH.]
