FASTScan

Fastscan is a term used across several industries to denote high-speed data capture or processing. It is not a formal standard, but a descriptor applied to different technologies by various vendors and domains.

In hardware, fastscan commonly refers to document and barcode scanners designed for high throughput. These devices emphasize rapid image capture, fast paper feeding, bidirectional scanning, and on-device processing to deliver outputs such as searchable PDFs or barcode data in a minimal time.

In software and data processing, fastscan describes methods that sweep through data streams, logs, or files to locate patterns, events, or segments. Implementations often rely on streaming parsing, multi-threading, and heuristic filters to accelerate search or extraction, potentially trading some accuracy or completeness for speed.

In medical imaging, fast-scan modes are used in ultrasound, MRI, or CT workflows to acquire data quickly for dynamic studies. These modes prioritize speed to reduce motion artifacts and capture transient phenomena, often at the expense of some image resolution or contrast.

Because the term is generic, its precise meaning depends on the context and the vendor. Users should consult product documentation to understand the capabilities and limitations of a given fastscan implementation. See also scanning, high-speed imaging, barcode scanning.