Book-Digitizing Robots

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Posted by michael on Wednesday May 21, 2003 @02:08AM from the reading-over-my-shoulder dept.

Makarand writes "Robotic digitization systems are the new help available to complete voluminous scanning tasks. Robots that can turn the pages of books and newspaper volumes and attain scanning speeds of more than 1000 pages/hour are now available. They even use puffs of compressed air to separate sticky pages!"

10 of 233 comments (clear)

Short Circuit by sin(theta) · 2003-05-21 02:12 · Score: 5, Funny

Finally, Johnny-5 is coming alive!

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Music wants to be free.
DMCA smack down by BMonger · 2003-05-21 02:15 · Score: 3, Funny

Those people in #bookz on IRC are gonna be so excited about this...
Re:Freedom 'Bots by Joe+the+Lesser · 2003-05-21 02:19 · Score: 4, Funny

Would it make a difference for those who now have their minds closed to the idea of democracy?

Are you talking about the US Government here?

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"I only speak the truth"
Karma: null(Mostly affected by an unassigned variable)
I'm all for democracy, of course... by CommieLib · 2003-05-21 02:24 · Score: 5, Funny

But does this passage puzzle you a bit?

"Think about the power of bringing our library to little schools in the middle of Africa," Keller said. "Would it make a difference for those who now have their minds closed to the idea of democracy?"

I'm not sure I get the connection:

Mbutu: Hey, Kwasa, check out this copy of "The Horse Whisperer" on my Palm Pilot.

Kwasa: Incredible! We must hold free elections immediately!

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If your bitterest enemies are people who hack the heads off civilians, then I would say you're doing something right.
Finger lickin good by dspfreak · 2003-05-21 02:40 · Score: 4, Funny

They even use puffs of compressed air to separate sticky pages!
I'm glad they didn't go with the design where it licked its thumb before turning each page. I hate that!

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"Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions." -- G. K. Chesterton
Book Ripping and Burning! by Dr.+Evil · 2003-05-21 02:41 · Score: 4, Funny

Time for a change in terminology.
Re:Digitizing Pr0n? by msheppard · 2003-05-21 02:45 · Score: 4, Funny

I'm afraid a "puff of compressed air" ain't gonna unstick those pages.

M@

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Krispy Cream is people
LORD - Dont you people see what's happening here?! by blakespot · 2003-05-21 02:49 · Score: 4, Funny

I don't know about you, but when I see a robot latched onto one of humanity's tome's of knowledge, poring over it at 1000 pages / minute puffing and aiming its high resolution CCD, I see what is clearly the first step in the rise of machines which will lead to the utter anhialation of humankind!!! We can't just feed them our knowledge!!

For the love of GOD, someone check this!!

blakespot

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-- Heisenberg may have slept here.
iPod Hacks.com
Re:Freedom 'Bots by PateraSilk · 2003-05-21 02:58 · Score: 3, Funny

To crib some characters from lower down--

It might turn them on to the idea of thinking for themselves, though.

Mbutu: Whoa. Plato sez this is all a shadow of some higher plane of existence.

Kwasa: Die Hutu scum!

Unfortunately, just this very possiblity is threatening to those who are now profiting from their ignorance.

Mbutu: Whoa. Marx sez the capitalists exploit the surplus wealth from their employees. Adam Smith sez each person has the ability to trade freely in the marketplace to maximize his or her advantage. Why am I digging these diamonds for foreign robber barons again?

Kwasa: Die Hutu scum!

"Think about the power of bringing our library to little schools in the middle of Africa."

Mbutu: Whoa. Gandhi sez nonviolence is the best way to solve problems. What do you say to that, class?

Kwasa: Die Hutu scum!

Ahh, well. One can always dream, right?

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Danke tres mucho, tovarishch.
Re:Hmm... by bob_jordan · 2003-05-21 03:02 · Score: 4, Funny

" So what measures can we expect to see? Lighter inks, crazier fonts to screw with the robots OCR? Funny paper that makes it hard to flip pages? "

I think you just described a typical issue of wired. Are they worried about people copying?

Bob.