Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!newstop!texsun!texbell!uhnix1!sugar!ficc!cliff
From: cliff@ficc.uu.net (cliff click)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Color desktop scanners (a technical discussion begins)
Summary: cheap scanner
Message-ID: <5368@ficc.uu.net>
Date: 31 Jul 89 13:19:16 GMT
References: <1869@ucsd.EDU>
Organization: Ferranti International Controls
Lines: 19

In article <1869@ucsd.EDU>, rich@net1.ucsd.edu (bmf) writes:
>  Problem: 
> 	Creating a desktop color scanner which is easy to use, has
> 	the quality of a drum scanner , and costs less than $3000 in
> 	parts. If we keep the discussion public we all gain a public
> 	domain scanner.
 
Maybe you should do the reverse of a laser-printer.  Scan the image with
a laser reflected from a rotating mirror (to sweep the page), and check
the intensity of the reflected light.  Use different colored lasers (or
filters on a white-light laser??) for different colors.  You probably
need to correct the recieved data for the spectral response of the 
laser/reciever.  Maybe you could use a standard laser-printer/xerox
shell (motor, paper transport, laser works) and add your own electronics.

-- 
Cliff Click, Software Contractor at Large
Business: uunet.uu.net!ficc!cliff, cliff@ficc.uu.net, +1 713 274 5368 (w).
Disclaimer: lost in the vortices of nilspace...       +1 713 568 3460 (h).