The iScanner app supports the academic community in information sharing and management
By providing an easy, reliable and secure way to scan and share documents, the iScanner app contributes to the digitalisation efforts in higher education
With the rise of remote and hybrid education, being able to scan, review and edit documents digitally has become all the more important. But even before the pandemic closed campuses in many countries, BP Mobile (AIBY Group) identified a gap in the market for a reliable scanner app that could optimise internal processes and document management. The iScanner app appeared in Apple’s App Store in 2015, and later on Google Play and for desktop, and has since been downloaded more than 100 million times.
The app allows students and higher education staff to scan documents on the go, work from any location and keep all their files on any device. “It allows users to scan, sign, highlight and annotate documents and print files directly from the app,” explains Matt Svetlak, product director at iScanner, BP Mobile (AIBY Group). “They can extract text and share excerpts from a textbook or blackboard notes with the whole class in seconds via Google Classroom, Canvas or any messenger.”
Users can scan documents with their phone cameras and complete their tasks from anywhere, instead of having to use an office document scanner. iScanner guarantees a high-resolution scan in seconds, with automatic edge detection, straightener feature and editing abilities. Time-pressed teaching staff in particular benefit from these features as they can scan, edit, sign and share documents in a few seconds. “This frees teachers from time-consuming, routine tasks, allowing them to focus on their students,” Svetlak says.
Students can use iScanner in any situation where they want to capture notes, scan multiple pages of books or capture handwritten notes on a whiteboard. There are document-editing tools so study materials can be collated from different sources, annotated and re-ordered depending on what the user needs.
AI algorithms have improved the app’s capabilities even further, meaning users can now enhance their documents, removing distortions such as fingerprints and creases that might previously have rendered a scan unusable.
New AI features on the app, based on ChatGPT’s application programming interface allow users to translate, summarise and rewrite texts from their scans, explains Svetlak. “Now you can use all the AI tools with any hard copies by simply scanning them first. It helps students and academics save time while doing research and gathering evidence. For students of architecture and interior design, the app offers features that can measure rooms and items, with the option of making a 3D plan in just a few taps.
For students and educators, scanning course texts and resource materials is much easier to manage than carrying books and paper assignments. iScanner includes a free cloud storage and syncing feature, so materials can be viewed across multiple devices and even offline. In 2024, the iScanner app introduced a promotion offering six months of free access to iScanner PRO and 10GB of Cloud storage to individuals with a “.edu” email address from educational institutions. Those who don’t have a .edu account can access the offer by submitting a valid student or educator ID.
Recognising that sensitive academic documents and data require safe storage, iScanner has built-in security features, such as remote logout if a device goes missing. Users can set up a PIN code to protect their files and be warned if someone else tries to access their documents. They can also set up the app to show decoy documents if an unauthorised person attempts to access their files. “The app is full of safety features that give users full control over who can open their files and what information they may see,” Svetlak says.
Download the iScanner app by BP Mobile (AIBY Group).
