TWAIN is a standard software protocol and applications programming interface (API) that regulates communication between software applications and imaging devices such as scanners and digital cameras.
The latest version of the TWAIN standard is TWAIN 2.1, released on July 8, 2009. TWAIN 2.1 features include support for MICR, PDF/A, automatic image rotation, infrared pixel type, auto-sized images, automatic color detection, and automatic selection between feeder and flatbed.[1]
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The design of TWAIN began in January, 1991. The TWAIN group originally launched in 1992 by several members of the imaging industry, with the intention of standardizing communication between image handling software and hardware.[2] Review of the original TWAIN Developer’s Toolkit occurred from April, 1991 through January, 1992.[3]
The word TWAIN is not an official acronym; however, it is widely known as "Technology Without An Interesting Name." The official website notes that "[this name] continues to haunt the standard."[4]
The word TWAIN is from Rudyard Kipling's "The Ballad of East and West" — "...and never the twain shall meet..." — reflecting the difficulty at the time of connecting scanners and personal computers.[4]
The TWAIN Working Group is a not-for-profit organization which represents the imaging industry. TWAIN's purpose is to provide and foster a universal public standard which links applications and image acquisition devices. The ongoing mission of the organization is to continue to enhance the standard to accommodate future technologies.
Objectives of the TWAIN Working Group and standard include:
TWAIN provides support for:
Today the TWAIN standard, including the specification, data source manager and sample code, are maintained by the not-for-profit organization TWAIN Working Group.
Board and associate members of the TWAIN Working Group include:
This article was originally based on material from the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, which is licensed under the GFDL.