INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY

ISLAMABAD

SUBJECT: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

ASSIGNMENT # 2

ON

“USERS OF DIRECT DATA ENTRY METHODS”

SUBMITTED TO:

MISS AMBER JAMIL

SUBMITTED BY:

MAHWISH ARIF CHOUDHRY

BBA(Hons.)18(A)(1)

Dated: 10th March,2008

Direct Input Devices
Direct input is a data entry form that does not use a keyboard to input data. Today, more
data and instructions are entered a CPU of microcomputers directly using direct input
devices used to provide a more natural user interface. These entry devices reduce users'
typing errors. While direct input is an advanced fourth generation data entry form, voice
input (speech input) is the mode of next generation input technology. There are many
methods of DDE:
1. Optical Mark Recognition (OMR)
2. Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR)
3. Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
4. Bar Codes
5. Magnetic Stripe Reader

1. OPTICAL MARK RECOGNITION (OMR):

Optical mark recognition (OMR), previously known as Mark Sense, is a flexible data
collection technology ideally suited for collection of data without special equipment.
While special OMR readers are required to read data on OMR forms, individuals filling
out the information do not need anything more technical than a black pencil.
Users of optical mark recognition (OMR):
Descon Information Systems (Pvt) Ltd [DIS], one of the leading IT service providers in
Pakistan has recently won a contract with Punjab Examination Commission [PEC] for
providing a turnkey solution for scanning and computerized marking of class 5 and class
8 examinations.
DIS has prepared a customized solution for carrying out the above assignment. The
solution uses Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) technology and cropping capabilities.
The system will provide automated marking of examination papers for classes 5 and 8.
This will help streamline the examination process by facilitating the staff to better
perform the grading process, making it more reliable, accurate and efficient. The
computer-based grading system will significantly cut down the time involved in grading
and will also help ensure transparency in the examination grading process. The
computerized solution will also help in carrying out various analysis based on response of
students to each question.

2. MAGNETIC INK CHARACTER RECOGNITION (MICR):

A magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) technology reads iron oxide ink preprinted
or encoded on checks, deposit slips or on documents. An MICR reader electronically
captures data, by first magnetizing the magnetic ink characters and then sensing the
signal.
Users of magnetic ink character recognition (MICR):
Certain banks use this technique to process their cheques and maintain a proper record of
them.
Machine readable MICR will now be used so that electronic processing of payment
instruments is managed by different banks.
3. OPTICAL CHARACTER RECOGNITION (OCR):
Often abbreviated OCR, optical character recognition refers to the branch of computer
science that involves reading text from paper and translating the images into a form that
the computer can manipulate. An OCR system enables you to take a book or a magazine
article, feed it directly into an electronic computer file, and then edit the file using a word
processor.
All OCR systems include an optical scanner for reading text, and sophisticated software
for analyzing images. Most OCR systems use a combination of hardware (specialized
circuit boards) and software to recognize characters, although some inexpensive systems
do it entirely through software. Advanced OCR systems can read text in large variety of
fonts, but they still have difficulty with handwritten text.
The potential of OCR systems is enormous because they enable users to harness the
power of computers to access printed documents. OCR is already being used widely in
the legal profession, where searches that once required hours or days can now be
accomplished in a few seconds.
Users of optical character recognition:
Noble Computer Services (private) Limited NCSL offers all types of electronic data entry
service that is provided from Karachi, Pakistan and delivery of information can be made
on any media. Noble has taken the traditional way of data entry and advanced it using the
latest data capture techniques. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology is
utilized to automate indexing and create text files. Data entry is performed using manual
entry, and or optical character recognition technology. This has enabled us to do full
range and interlock checking and has made verification of data easier and accurate.

4. BAR CODES:
A bar code is a specialized code represented by sets of parallel bars of varying thickness
and separation. This is used for fast identification of items with an optimal scanner. The
optical scanner is called a bar code reader. The bar code reader is a photoelectric scanner
that read the bar code.

Barcodes are basically a series of parallel lines, or bars, of varying width. The bars are
usually black on a white background - but other colors can be used - and the width and
number of bars can vary according to the type of bar code labeling system used.
There are currently four different types of bar code readers available. Each uses a slightly
different technology for reading and decoding a bar code. There are pen type readers (e.g.
bar code wands), laser scanners, CCD readers and camera-based readers.

Users of bar codes:

a. Airports are now using bar code systems to handle their baggage systems in
combination with sophisticated transport systems for automatic routing of
baggage to the right plane.
b. Transport companies, such as national rail companies, print a bar code on their
tickets to keep track of passenger preferences and movements.
c. Shipping companies use bar code labels to track crates and containers and as well
as their contents.
d. Taking the supermarket for example, a product which is sold is identified by its
bar code at the checkout. This information is then sent to the cash register as well
as to the inventory and administration. The customer gets an itemized receipt of
his purchases and the stores is able to keep a close watch on goods that are sold,
going out of stock (inventory control) as well as provide information on consumer
behavior (administration and statistics).
e. Supermarkets and retail stores. Libraries and other organizations are rapidly
switching over to the bar code system to help them keep track of parts, parcels,
member behavior and other statistically relevant information.

6. MAGNETIS STRIPE READERS:

The dark magnetic stripe on the back of cards is the iron oxide coating. A magnetic
stripe reader reads this magnetic stripe.
A magnetic stripe is the black or brown stripe. The stripe is made up of tiny magnetic
particles in a resin. The particles are either applied directly to the card or made into a
stripe on a plastic backing which is applied to the card.
The stripe can be encoded because the particles (like iron filings) can be magnetized
in either a north or South Pole direction. By changing the direction of the encoding
along the length of the stripe this allows information to be written on the stripe. This
information can be read back and then changed if required as easily as the first
encoding.
Users of magnetic stripe reader:
a. Many banks in Pakistan like HABIB BANK, BANK ALFALLAH, MUSLIM
COMMERCIAL BANK, ASKARI BANK etc produce credit cards, debit cards and ATM
cards.
b. Telephone cards are also provided with magnetic stripe.
c. Mobile companies like U FONE, TELENOR and WARID also use their technique to
maintain the login and logout records of their employees.
d. Call centers also provide magnetic stripe to their employees for the same reason.