Document Capture – An alternative to SimulScan
Zebra's SimulScan is a set of productivity tools that can optimize the efficiency of the data-capture workflow by enabling workers to acquire multiple points of data in a single step. Whilst it is a great tool it’s not supported on all Zebra devices and isn’t fit for every use case - this blog discusses an alternative option for developers to utilize when trying to optimize data capture workflows
Why would I need an alternative?
Currently, the devices supported by SimulScan are TC51/TC56, TC55, TC70/TC75, TC70x/TC75x, TC8000.
This means newer devices, such as the TC20, are unable to use SimulScan for document capture and require another solution. So…
What is the alternative?
This alternative application allows document capture and barcode scanning by leverages two third-party SDK’s (developed by Dynamsoft).
The first SDK provides the ability to capture a document using the device camera. During capture, the application will automatically detect document boundaries and perform trapezoid distortion correction on the cropped image. After the image has been captured it can be edited to improve quality (Contrast & brightness adjustment, filter application etc…)
The second SDK allows the user to process the captured document to decode any visible barcodes.
What are the requirements?
This application will run on any Zebra device with:
- A camera
- Android 4.4 (KitKat) or later
How does it work?
The below table shows the flow of the application:
Home Page |
Settings Page |
Capture Image |
Edit captured image |
Inspect & Save Image |
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 |
 |
 |
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Please note, you will need to request Trial licenses from Dynamsoft for both SDKs to realise full functionality.
30-day trial licenses can be obtained directly from Dynamsoft for use with the sample application:
Once obtained, please update the licenses which can be found in the settings page.
How can I get it?
The source code for this application is available on my GitHub & the APK can be found at the bottom of this post.
Are there any considerations?
Yes – Unfortunately the Dynamsoft SDK’s are licensed.
30-day trial licenses can be obtained directly from Dynamsoft for use with the sample application:
However, if you wish to purchase licenses, please review pricing structures here:
Anonymous (not verified)
1 Replies
There are other providers for Barcode Scanner SDK, such as Docutain. They also offer a Trial License to try and have customers in the Healthcare section.
Besides a Barcode Scanner, they also offer SDKs for Document Scanning and Data Extraction: