Digital Gallatin

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Free/Paid

Mentimeter

Mentimeter: a web-based presentation platform with live polling features and audience interaction. Presenters can survey the audience with the aid of cellphones (without any additional software) and display results simultaneously. Survey question formats include quizzes, multiple-choice, image-choice, scales, 2×2 matrix, word cloud, open-ended, and others. Option to add instant reaction buttons to increase audience interaction (e.g., thumbs up/down). Mentimeter offers integration with spreadsheet softwares for organizing results, and a plugin for Microsoft PowerPoint. FREE/Paid.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) softwares and platforms enable the decoding of images of typed, written, or handwritten text into electronically recognizable text. OCR enables readers who use assistive technology to access the content in documents such as scanned PDFs. *Note: If you use another scanner that generates image files, you can use OCR software to convert it to machine-readable text. See below for OCR-enabled scanners at NYU.

Adobe Acrobat DC: Adobe’s OCR feature requires only one click and generates a custom font that matches your document. Check out the how-to guide. Paid (subscription model).

FreeOCR: Windows-only OCR software that outputs files in TXT format. FREE.

VueScan: Mac-only lightweight scanning software that works with virtually any scanning hardware, and features optimal OCR. (Note: VueScan’s mobile app does not include native OCR technology). Paid.

ABBYY FineReader: OCR software that can also optimize the quality of PDF files as well as output them in a format that automatically adjusts to the size of your reading screen. Paid.

NewOCR: upload your document (PDF, JPEG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, orDjVu) to this browser-based platform to convert it to a text file. Supports multiple languages, and offers output on PDF, DOC and TXT formats. FREE.

Scanner Pro: this mobile app (iOS only) is a great on-the-go solution with reliable character recognition. Also available in desktop software format for Macs. Paid.

CamScanner: mobile app for scanning on the go with subscription-based cloud services (optional). FREE.

 

Find free OCR-enabled scanners at NYU

ArcGIS

ArcGIS: A system for working with maps and geographic information. Frequently used for making maps, analyzing mapped information and managing geographic information in a database. Add your maps to powerpoint, or create a StoryMap around spatial data (tutorial here). ArcGIS is accessible on the Data Services workstations (located within the Research Commons on the 5th floor of Bobst Library).

Social Explorer

Social Explorer: a database containing current and historical demographic data primarily from the United States with features for users to create custom maps and reports to visualize and explore said data. Map features include side-by-side visualization, swipe toggling, multimedia annotations, and multi-map presentations. FREE for NYU community.

Renderforest

Renderforest: cloud-based video maker with easy-to-use templates and tools for creating professional intros, animations, slideshows and music visualizations. Free account renders watermarked, standard-quality videos (SD360) for embedding on the web or exporting. Higher quality files without a watermark available under a subscription of pay-per-use service. Free/Paid.