Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/J66959/01
Title:	OSCAR - AN OFFLINE SCRIPT AND CHARACTER RECOGNITION TOOLSET IED4/1/5806
Principal Investigator:	Downton, Professor A
Other Investigators:	Lucas, Professor S Leedham, Dr C
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Computing and Electronic Systems1
Organisation:	University of Essex
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 January 1994	Ends:	30 June 1997	Value (£):	201,881
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Human Communication in ICT
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Financial Services
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
To develop a toolset for automated script and printed character recognition concerned with 'forms' data capture; to provide the basis through demonstrator projects for a successful introduction of OCR techniques across a broad range of applications; to advance the state-of-the-art in OCR techniques for automatic handwritten text recognition.Progress:After one year, the project has produced the following deliverables: Definition of a database structure and hierarchy for compatible representation of handwriting data at levels ranging from individual handprinted characters to complete multi-component forms images. Specification of a toolkit framework for constructing, testing and evaluating demonstrators and other handwritten forms applications. Implementation and evaluation of a range of initial components for the toolkit, including several OCR algorithms. Implementation, testing and evaluation of an initial mini-demonstrator which recognises hand-printed British post codes, applies postcode syntax rules and a full UK postcode dictionary, and has been tested using a database of several thousand handwritten UK postal addresses.A survey of user requirements and forms processing applications is also nearing completion, and a programme of further demonstrator developments has been agreed for the remainder of the project. Progress is currently limited by the departure of the project's Senior Research Fellow to take up a job in industry; a replacement is being appointed but this will result in a delay of 4-6 months in the overall completion date for the project.
Key Findings
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Potential use in non-academic contexts
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Impacts
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher
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Project URL:
Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.sx.ac.uk