Scanner may refer to:

Technology

For invisible radiation

Scanner (radio) A scanner (also referred to as a radio scanner) is a radio receiver that can automatically tune, or ''scan'', two or more discrete frequencies, stopping when it finds a signal on one of them and then continuing to scan other frequencies when the ...

, for searching for and receiving radio broadcasts * An

outside broadcasting Outside broadcasting (OB) is the electronic field production (EFP) of television or radio programmes (typically to cover television news and sports television events) from a mobile remote broadcast television studio. Professional video camera ...

control vehicle * A rotating

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, Marine radar, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor v ...

antenna * Neutron scanner, a scanner which utilizes neutrons to penetrate objects for analysis

For (near) light

Image scanner An image scanner—often abbreviated to just scanner—is a device that optically scans images, printed text, handwriting or an object and converts it to a digital image. Commonly used in offices are variations of the desktop ''flatbed scanner'' ...

, which digitizes a two-dimensional image **

3D scanner 3D scanning is the process of analyzing a real-world object or environment to collect data on its shape and possibly its appearance (e.g. color). The collected data can then be used to construct digital 3D models. A 3D scanner can be based on m ...

, which digitizes the three-dimensional shape of a real object * Motion picture film scanner, which scans original film for storage as a digital file *

Barcode reader A barcode reader is an optical scanner that can read printed barcodes, decode the data contained in the barcode to a computer. Like a flatbed scanner, it consists of a light source, a lens and a light sensor for translating optical impulses into ...

, which reads the data encoded in a barcode *

Laser scanner Laser scanning is the controlled deflection of laser beams, visible or invisible. Scanned laser beams are used in some 3-D printers, in rapid prototyping, in machines for material processing, in laser engraving machines, in ophthalmological las ...

, which guides a laser beam along a path, sometimes combined with a measurement *

Stepper A stepper is a device used in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs) that is similar in operation to a slide projector or a photographic enlarger. ''Stepper'' is short for step-and-repeat camera. Steppers are an essential part of the comp ...

, a part of the photolithography process * A

biometric Biometrics are body measurements and calculations related to human characteristics. Biometric authentication (or realistic authentication) is used in computer science as a form of identification and access control. It is also used to identify in ...

scanner, an electronic device with a sensor to read patterns or images from faces, irises, and finger pads to create a biological template or profile * An automated

spotlight Spotlight or spot light may refer to: Lighting * Spot lights, automotive auxiliary lamps * Spotlight (theatre lighting) * Spotlight, a searchlight * Stage lighting instrument, stage lighting instruments, of several types Art, entertainment, an ...

Computer software

Port scanner A port scanner is an application designed to probe a server or host for open ports. Such an application may be used by administrators to verify security policies of their networks and by attackers to identify network services running on a host ...

, in computer networking *

Virus scanner Antivirus software (abbreviated to AV software), also known as anti-malware, is a computer program used to prevent, detect, and remove malware. Antivirus software was originally developed to detect and remove computer viruses, hence the nam ...

Vulnerability scanner A vulnerability scanner is a computer program designed to assess computers, networks or applications for known weaknesses. These scanners are used to discover the weaknesses of a given system. They are utilized in the identification and detect ...

, a computer program that probes for weaknesses *

Lexical analyzer In computer science, lexical analysis, lexing or tokenization is the process of converting a sequence of characters (such as in a computer program or web page) into a sequence of ''lexical tokens'' ( strings with an assigned and thus identified ...

, a computer program *

WikiScanner WikiScanner (also known as Wikipedia Scanner) was a publicly searchable database that linked anonymous edits on Wikipedia to the organizations where those edits apparently originated. It did this by cross-referencing the edits with data on the o ...

, a tool that provided a searchable database of anonymous Wikipedia edits * Scanner, a disk space analyzing and management tool for Microsoft Windows *

, a device to digitize paper documents

Medical

MRI scanner The physics of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) concerns fundamental physical considerations of MRI techniques and technological aspects of MRI devices. MRI is a medical imaging technique mostly used in radiology and nuclear medicine in order ...

* CT scanner

Other

* An automotive

electronic control unit An electronic control unit (ECU), also known as an electronic control module (ECM), is an embedded system in automotive electronics that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in a car or other motor vehicle. Modern vehic ...

diagnostic tool

Popular culture

* Scanner (band), a German speed metal band *

Scanners (band) Scanners are an alternative rock band from London, England formed around 2004. History The band was initially formed by Matthew Mole (vocals, guitar, synthesizer) and Sarah Daly (vocals, bass guitar, violin) around 2004, who after writing song ...

, an alternative band from London * Scanner, the stage name of British electronic musician Robin Rimbaud * Scanner (Code Lyoko), a fictional teleportation device * Scanner (''Half-Life''), a floating enemy in the ''Half-Life'' video game series * '' Scanners'', a 1981 science fiction horror film * "Scanners" (''Superstore''), an episode of the television series ''Superstore''