For those keen on adopting a paper-free approach, you likely assume a scanning device is necessary. Indeed, dedicated scanning machines greatly simplify the conversion of multi-page papers into PDFs. Yet, the majority of us lack convenient access to such equipment.

Instead, what’s readily available to us are mobile phones, which boast excellent photographic capabilities. This is precisely where document scanning applications prove invaluable.

Such applications enable users to capture images of every sheet from a physical paper, trim the peripheral areas of the image and align the content, subsequently merging these images into a single PDF document. While a scanning application offers convenience, it comes with a caveat: many available applications are poorly designed or problematic.

This is precisely why FairScan distinguishes itself. It is a mobile application designed for digitizing papers via your Android device, which simply… digitizes papers. And nothing more.

The architect of FairScan, Pierre-Yves Nicolas, noted in a prior year’s blog publication that his prior experience involved testing various Android document scanning tools. He expressed that “Each of them displayed characteristics I unequivocally deemed undesirable.” Among these tendencies were overt features like promotional content, covert breaches of confidentiality, as well as dubious procedures, like retaining your materials on cloud servers—thereafter utilizing them for AI model development—with just a brief, small-print message alerting you to these actions.

This application, FairScan, freely available and open-source, avoids all such actions. Its sole purpose is document capture.

To commence, merely install the application. Indeed, it is exclusively available for Android devices at present; however, acquisition is possible via the Google Play Store or F-Droid, a prominent hub for open-source Android applications.

Prepare the paper you intend to digitize, positioning it on an even plane within a brightly illuminated space. Subsequently, direct your device’s camera towards the initial sheet. A verdant outline will encompass the page—make necessary alterations until it perfectly frames the specific section of the paper you wish to capture. Capture the image once you are prepared.

Should additional pages be present, you may tap the addition icon to incorporate them; thereby enabling the replication of this procedure for subsequent sheets. This action can be performed repeatedly, as often as desired, thereby permitting the digitization of an extensive document.

Upon completion, the digitized sheets can be exported as either one consolidated PDF or several individual JPEG images.

Several considerations warrant attention during the scanning process. Primarily, illumination plays a crucial role. It is advisable to prevent your mobile device’s shadow from appearing within the captured image; hence, ensure your phone is not situated between the light source and the paper being digitized. From my experience, the application performs optimally in an environment with gentle, scattered light, be it from several luminaires brightening your workspace, or numerous windows allowing abundant natural daylight to enter. Furthermore, endeavor to flatten the physical document as much as feasible, thereby precluding any visual aberrations.