Hi Guys
Today I got to thinking about alternative ideas for a book scanner. My first attempt was definitely driven by what I have seen others doing and essentially was a copy of a well known scanner on the market. With hindsight I would have built it totally different.
I remember a famous designer from Norton’s motorcycles say that if we made a motorcycle now without ever seeing one it would be totally different. I think we do get constrained by what we have seen from others work and the commercial machines.
Got a few ideas in my head at the moment for a metronome looking device with a vacuum and spring based page turner inbuilt and a gyro stabilised singular camera. When I finish my current exams, move towns and continue learning solidworks I will upload something to show what I am talking about. It wouldn’t involve glass or plastic platterns and would ultimately be cheaper as it only has 1 camera.
Does anyone have alternate ideas they would like to share???
Paul
Alternative ideas
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daniel_reetz
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Re: Alternative ideas
I say this in a totally non-defensive way: a lot of our designs are pretty far from copies of commercial designs.
A bunch of people shared some crazy ideas in the "brainstorming about portable scanners" thread.
I, for one, would like to hear more about your out-there ideas. Maybe a pencil and paper are a more expedient way to share them with the rest of us, rather than solidworks. And besides, we have some great solidworks users here -- they might be able to mock something up if it was compelling enough. The only other thing I can offer is that most people here tend to simplicity, and I think rightfully so. Super complex ideas are just hard to get done at home.
A bunch of people shared some crazy ideas in the "brainstorming about portable scanners" thread.
I, for one, would like to hear more about your out-there ideas. Maybe a pencil and paper are a more expedient way to share them with the rest of us, rather than solidworks. And besides, we have some great solidworks users here -- they might be able to mock something up if it was compelling enough. The only other thing I can offer is that most people here tend to simplicity, and I think rightfully so. Super complex ideas are just hard to get done at home.
Re: Alternative ideas
much like norton's early period motorcycle ideas, a design will evolve and improve based on experiences and displeasures with the original.
Re: Alternative ideas
Yer well just as long as it doesn't leak like all the Nortons I knew!
Re: Alternative ideas
New member here. Happy to see work in this area. I've been brainstorming the book scanner idea for a couple of years. Great ideas and machines posted. A few of my ideas that may work with what others are building: I think moving the book is better than moving the clear platten for a few reasons. On thing is, the platten must clear the cameras as it comes up. With the platten stationary, the frame used to hold the glass can also be the frame to hold the cameras and lights. The cameras won't need such long extented supports. You end up with a strong inverted dog house with an upside down glass roof, if that makes any sense. I should scan in some sketches.
Another idea is to operate the up and down movement of the book cradle by a foot treadle, leaving both hands free to turn pages. You could also have a micro-switch to operate the cameras a second or two after the book contacts the glass platten. Now we're getting industrial. Once you decide to do foot treadle, you can design the entire thing vertically without need to brace it horizonally so much. I think I'd make my frame a vertical sheet of plywood that is screwed to the walls.
If this is clear as mud I'll attempt to upload some sketches.
Another idea is to operate the up and down movement of the book cradle by a foot treadle, leaving both hands free to turn pages. You could also have a micro-switch to operate the cameras a second or two after the book contacts the glass platten. Now we're getting industrial. Once you decide to do foot treadle, you can design the entire thing vertically without need to brace it horizonally so much. I think I'd make my frame a vertical sheet of plywood that is screwed to the walls.
If this is clear as mud I'll attempt to upload some sketches.
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DSpider
Re: Alternative ideas
I also think the main cost of a DYI book scanner is the second camera. Here are my thoughts on what a single camera scanner would probably look like. Forgive the crude representation... 
You simply rotate the base (fixed axis) to grab the other page. I think this would've been the perfect way to keep the aspect ratio of each page (including the layout). That is if Scan Tailor (or similar software) couldn't do this automatically.
And:
It was inspired by this video on this one. If you think about it 2 people could scan 2 books at the same time. Then the software would come in and do the splitting. And one book would be made of even pages and the other made of odd pages.
You simply rotate the base (fixed axis) to grab the other page. I think this would've been the perfect way to keep the aspect ratio of each page (including the layout). That is if Scan Tailor (or similar software) couldn't do this automatically.
And:
It was inspired by this video on this one. If you think about it 2 people could scan 2 books at the same time. Then the software would come in and do the splitting. And one book would be made of even pages and the other made of odd pages.
Re: Alternative ideas
What do you think of this platen-less, single camera design?
http://www.diybookscanner.org/forum/vie ... ?f=1&t=422
http://www.diybookscanner.org/forum/vie ... ?f=1&t=422
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univurshul
- Posts: 496
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Re: Alternative ideas
There's already a few single-camera overhead designs that shoot open facing books. For simplicity and portability, and, ultimately the goal of actually achieving good workflow that realistically scan books with great results is to bolster the software aspects. Although highly encouraged, and cool and inspiring, mechanically moving cameras and cradles are tricky, time consuming, and beg the question if I'm more addicted to solving the universal scan building mysteries than actually scanning with it.
After building 2 scanners, I'm ready to try a spendy camera and a single-cam type rig with Eco-lighting, a wide angle platen or maybe an air platen idea. But I can honestly say this: highly experimental rigs may likely not scan effectively for some time--a long time--and that's a hobby/lifestyle/money risk I haven't really considered until now. What I'm saying is: the 2 camera rigs are super killer machines when built and operated correctly. They work better and faster than any other scanner I've seen at present.. I have 2/3 of my book and media collection digitized in less than 2 months since hardware assemblage. So, although rejecting what works seems to spur new ideas and forces alternative creativity, it also reduces output in the near term, racks up charges, and challenges your sanity
....When the final book processes and an optimized PDF comes off my computer and onto my reader device, I won't be thinking about if it was a $50 camera or a $500 camera or if this part moved or not. --that's how good the dual cam rigs can potentially reach with good software. Personally, I think refinement of the dual rig is where it's at right now, although I do like the idea of 1 camera. But I also like the idea of no cameras as well: highspeed scanning light bars mounted directly over the platen.
Look at the labor in these videos of automatic-commercial-scanners and visualize what the operators endure to calibrate 1 book to get scanned. I'm already 1/2 through a book by the time the machine goes into autopilot! What they don't show is when these things jam. ...Think my platen jams up? That would be a "no".
(I do like the Smithsonian scanning booths however, very fast and efficient stuff there, it's cool).
....software: keystone correction, deskewing, etc., all these things are improving, and when they're capable of polishing all the variables in scanning, the leaner rigs will arrive on the scene for good... I think we'll reach the apex of hardware when we have access to robotic hands, cyborg type hands that handle books like human hands.
After building 2 scanners, I'm ready to try a spendy camera and a single-cam type rig with Eco-lighting, a wide angle platen or maybe an air platen idea. But I can honestly say this: highly experimental rigs may likely not scan effectively for some time--a long time--and that's a hobby/lifestyle/money risk I haven't really considered until now. What I'm saying is: the 2 camera rigs are super killer machines when built and operated correctly. They work better and faster than any other scanner I've seen at present.. I have 2/3 of my book and media collection digitized in less than 2 months since hardware assemblage. So, although rejecting what works seems to spur new ideas and forces alternative creativity, it also reduces output in the near term, racks up charges, and challenges your sanity
....When the final book processes and an optimized PDF comes off my computer and onto my reader device, I won't be thinking about if it was a $50 camera or a $500 camera or if this part moved or not. --that's how good the dual cam rigs can potentially reach with good software. Personally, I think refinement of the dual rig is where it's at right now, although I do like the idea of 1 camera. But I also like the idea of no cameras as well: highspeed scanning light bars mounted directly over the platen.
Look at the labor in these videos of automatic-commercial-scanners and visualize what the operators endure to calibrate 1 book to get scanned. I'm already 1/2 through a book by the time the machine goes into autopilot! What they don't show is when these things jam. ...Think my platen jams up? That would be a "no".
(I do like the Smithsonian scanning booths however, very fast and efficient stuff there, it's cool).
....software: keystone correction, deskewing, etc., all these things are improving, and when they're capable of polishing all the variables in scanning, the leaner rigs will arrive on the scene for good... I think we'll reach the apex of hardware when we have access to robotic hands, cyborg type hands that handle books like human hands.