Data Capture Technology

1. Vice – Presidency for Strategic Planning and Supervision Statistical Centre Of Iran Data Capture Technology Statistical Centre Of IRAN Presented by : MS. SOMAYE AHANGAR

2. Data Capture Technologies • Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) • Intelligent Character Recognition (ICR)

3. PDA Technology • Instances of the PDA applications in the SCI Surveys and Censuses • General Advantages • Application specification • Localization and customization • Activities for conducting the survey • Limitations

4. Instance of the PDA application in the SCI • Collecting images and multimedia contents on tribes in the Census of Nomadic Tribes of Iran in order to be used in Encyclopedia of Iranian Tribes. • In sampling surveys including monthly and periodical surveys PDAs are frequently used.

5. General Advantages of PDA • They are convenient tools for Personal Information Management (PIM). • They offer various kinds of input keyboard (Hardware keyboard, Virtual Keyboard on LCD, Finger- touch screen) • Communication via USB, Infrared and Bluetooth • Accurate, rapid, single- time data entry. • They could lead to elimination of paper questionnaires in surveys/census. • There will be no need for verification step. • PDA application will reduce the need for human resources leading to more efficiency and cost effectiveness in projects

6. Application specification • The current devices’ model in use are : • HP iPAQ HW6945 • HP iPAQ HW-6955 • Developed software packages consists of 3 sections: • The mobile software edition used in PDA device • The desktop application for central management system in provinces • The desktop application for central management system in the SCI • Developed in .NET technologies and SQL Server 2005 CE

7. Localization and customization • Application of GPS devices to take spatial Information • Assignment of sample working scopes to enumerators in monthly survey is dynamic. It should be mentioned that this dynamic process may causes some problems and concerns. • Measuring and evaluating spent time in each place under enumeration. • Simultaneous error validations to maintain data consistency. • Flexible navigation tool enabling browsing between different pages for filling their blank fields. • Possibility of data transmission thought internet

8. Activities for conducting the survey • Collecting Data by interviewers • Moving collected data from devices to central management system in provinces • Reviewing and verifying data by experts of provinces • Sending database files (.sdf files) by data communication from provinces to the SCI • Converting and processing received files • Generate new .sdf file for using in next period

9. Limitations • Requires trained staff • In order to find direction and paths by using digital geographical maps, a more comprehensive database of maps of roads is necessary which itself requires updating the current data. • For using GSM features proper coverage of mobile communication network is necessary in all areas under enumeration. • Hardware problems like short battery life of some PDAs and their failure to operate properly as well as problem in synchronizing of PDA with pc were among other problems. • a comprehensive management systems– particularly in monthly surveys- is necessary to process the received files in timely manner in order to generate the required data file for next month. Sometimes, time constraint is a major problem.

10. ICR Technology • Overview • Top Operational Reasons • Accuracy • ICR Stages • Instances of the ICR usages in the SCI Surveys and Censuses • Application specification and consideration • The Strength Points using ICR in the SCI

11. ICR Overview • ICR is an advanced automatic data entry system • Captures the images of document forms • Reads handwritten, machine-printed, barcodes and other data fields • The Interpret engines convert the precious data of the images into digital format • Recognizes printed letters with one letter in each box

12. Top Operational Reasons • Cost effectiveness • Improved accuracy • Shorter cycle time • Improved work distribution (skill, location) • Audit trails and reporting and tracking tools • Data privacy

13. How Accurate? It depends • Quality of incoming documents is a very critical issue depending on : • Form design • Scan • Original vs. photocopy • Dropout vs. non-dropout

14. ICR Stages • Template/Form creation • Image capture & scan • Image pre-processing • Batch processing • Recognition and data extraction • Data validation and Review

15. ICR Process Schema

16. Character Verification

17. Field Verification

18. Instance of the ICR usages • Conducting a pilot census in some provinces in 2005 • Conducting 2006 National Population and Housing Census • Using it as a major data capture tool in Iranian Households Economic Data Collection Project in 2008

19. Application specification & consideration • Various kind of forms with different layouts and contents • High complex structure of Farsi writing in comparison to Latin • Scan forms for about 45 pages per-minute for double sides in A3 size forms with 200 DPI resolution • Distribute the tasks using completely automated management systems • Developed modules for rule and batch editing, within the ICR software packages

20. Batch & Rule Verification

21. The Strength Points • Using the product of the same company’s software in 2006 Census, which was used in 2005 Pilot Census because of its accuracy and reliability. • Improving quality of the developed software based on feedbacks and experiences gained from the Pilot Census and experimental versions. • A good practice in designing and preparing of the questionnaire forms • A good practice in offering an acceptable estimation of scanning and reading times.