A database for handwritten text recognition research

Author

Hull, Jonathan J.

Author_Institution

CEDAR, State Univ. of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA

Volume

16

Issue

5

fYear

1994

fDate

5/1/1994 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

550

Lastpage

554

Abstract

An image database for handwritten text recognition research is described. Digital images of approximately 5000 city names, 5000 state names, 10000 ZIP Codes, and 50000 alphanumeric characters are included. Each image was scanned from mail in a working post office at 300 pixels/in in 8-bit gray scale on a high-quality flat bed digitizer. The data were unconstrained for the writer, style, and method of preparation. These characteristics help overcome the limitations of earlier databases that contained only isolated characters or were prepared in a laboratory setting under prescribed circumstances. Also, the database is divided into explicit training and testing sets to facilitate the sharing of results among researchers as well as performance comparisons

Keywords

character recognition; performance evaluation; visual databases; 8 bit; alphanumeric characters; digital images; flat bed digitizer; gray scale; handwritten text recognition; image database; performance comparisons; style; writer; Cities and towns; Digital images; Gray-scale; Handwriting recognition; Image databases; Performance analysis; Postal services; Testing; Text recognition; Writing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0162-8828

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/34.291440

Filename

291440