An algorithm to recognize isolated, overlapped and connected handwritten numerical characters

The authors describe the results of their investigation of the development of an algorithm for recognizing and identifying handwritten numerical characters which may be isolated, overlapped and connected. These numerals may be continuous or fragmented. The features that the digits have in common and the intrinsic features of each one were considered. Such characteristics are used in the human recognition process and are the basis of the proposed algorithm. The principal idea of the algorithm is to start at the top of the image and group the pixels-on in horizontal and vertical lines that will characterize each one of the digits. Numerous experimental tests were carried out for recognition of numerical characters of bank checks and an accuracy of 99.88% was obtained