ALE

ALE - Accuracy Lens Enhancement Technology

When looking at pixels across the range of a camera, the pixels tend to be more elliptical at the outside edges of the lens and more round in the middle of the lens. This anomaly is known as a spherical lens error and can introduce inaccuracies in the scanning system that can vary quite substantially between different points along the scan line.

GIS professionals and other specialized vertical markets involved in Quality Assurance and Verification require a very high grade of precision stability in the scanned image with a well-defined maximum deviation of 0.1% or less. Most scanner manufactures typically state a +-0.1% accuracy between the two end-points of the scan line.

Contex however, has taken scanning precision to new levels by developing patented technology.

Accuracy Lens Enhancement (ALE)
Accuracy Lens Enhancement (ALE) is an electronic correction of spherical errors in CCD based camera- scanning systems. Accuracy Lens Enhancement Technology (ALE) electronically maintains precision across any two points of the scan line thus exceeding even the most rigid requirements in the industry today. Contex is the only scanner manufacturer to offer Accuracy Lens Enhancement (ALE) technology for their entire range of scanners. Contex is committed to developing only the highest levels of quality, accuracy and reliability.

How can I get it?
New customers will automatically get the enhanced version when buying a new Contex scanner and existing customers owning a Chameleon, Cougar, Chroma Tx, or Crystal Tx can install the enhancement feature by simply downloading firmware version 28, higher into their scanner and using Scanner Maintenance version 1.6.1, or higher.

see also...

Accuracy Lens Enhancement Technology Whitepaper - For enhancing scanner accuracy (PDF)