Final answer:
A scanner is an input device that converts physical characters or graphic patterns into digital data, serving a crucial function in digital document processing.
Step-by-step explanation:
A scanner is an input device that converts character or graphic patterns into digital data. Scanners allow digital computers to efficiently process large amounts of information by creating digital copies of physical documents, which can then be stored, edited, searched, and transmitted. This has revolutionized the way we handle documents and images in the digital age.
A scanner is an input device that converts character or graphic patterns into digital data. Scanners are commonly used to convert physical documents into digital images, which can then be stored, edited, or printed. They work by using optical sensors to capture the image and convert it into a digital format that can be processed by a computer.
Scanners are essential for many digital applications, such as document archiving, image editing, and optical character recognition (OCR). They have greatly facilitated the digitization and processing of large amounts of information, as mentioned in the reference provided.