digitizer

A digitizer is a device or component that converts analog signals, like drawings or physical objects, into digital data that computers can process. For example, in designing, a graphics tablet with a stylus acts as a digitizer, capturing the exact position and movement of the stylus to create a digital drawing. Similarly, in surveying, a digitizer inputs physical maps into digital formats. Essentially, it translates real-world input into digital form, enabling editing, storage, and further manipulation electronically. This process is fundamental in manufacturing, design, mapping, and many other fields requiring precise digital representations of physical data.