Caracal AI: Free Tool for Handwritten Text Recognition, Extract text from Images

In this article, I’ll walk you through a fascinating tool called Caracal, which is designed for handwritten text recognition and named entity analysis. This tool uses the Quin VL 7B model as its base and has already been fine-tuned by many users for their specific purposes.

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What is Caracal AI?

Caracal is a free tool that specializes in identifying handwritten text. It’s particularly effective when working with historical documents, making it a valuable resource for researchers, historians, and anyone dealing with handwritten materials. The tool is built on the Quin VL 7B model, which provides a robust foundation for accurate text recognition and analysis.

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How to Use Caracal for Handwritten Text Recognition

You can try out the Caracal tool on its Hugging Face Space demo here.

Step 1: Upload a Handwritten Image

To get started, you’ll need to upload a handwritten image to the Caracal tool.

1. Select an Image: Choose a handwritten document or note that you want to analyze.
2. Upload the Image: Use the tool’s interface to upload the image.
3. Click Submit: Once the image is uploaded, click the “Submit” button to begin the text recognition process.

Step 2: View the Results

After submitting the image, Caracal will process it and display the detected text. For example, if you upload a handwritten note, the tool will accurately extract the text from the image.

This feature is incredibly useful for digitizing handwritten content quickly and efficiently.

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Named Entity Recognition Feature

One of the standout features of Caracal is its Named Entity Recognition (NER) capability. This feature allows you to label and categorize different entities within the text, such as people, organizations, locations, dates, and events.

Step 1: Enable Named Entity Recognition

To use the NER feature, follow these steps:

1. Turn on the NER Feature: Locate the option to enable Named Entity Recognition in the tool’s interface.
2. Customize Entity Labels: By default, the tool labels entities such as person, organization, location, date, and event. You can customize these labels based on your needs. For example, if you only want to label people, locations, and dates, you can remove the other categories.

Step 2: Submit and Analyze

Once you’ve customized the entity labels, click “Submit” to analyze the text. The tool will then process the image and label the entities accordingly.

Step 3: Review the Results

After the analysis is complete, you’ll see the labeled entities in the text. For instance:

• Pittsburgh might be labeled as a location.
• A specific date might be labeled as a date.
• A person’s name might be labeled as a person.

This feature is particularly helpful when analyzing historical documents or handwritten notes, as it allows you to quickly identify and categorize key information.

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Why Caracal is Useful

Caracal’s combination of handwritten text recognition and named entity analysis makes it a powerful tool for various applications. Here are some reasons why it stands out:

1. Accuracy: The tool accurately detects and extracts handwritten text, even from challenging documents.
2. Customization: The NER feature allows you to tailor the analysis to your specific needs by selecting which entities to label.
3. Historical Document Analysis: Caracal excels at analyzing historical documents, making it a valuable resource for researchers and historians.
4. Free and Accessible: As a free tool, Caracal is accessible to a wide range of users, from students to professionals.

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Example Use Case

Let’s walk through an example to see Caracal in action:

1. Upload a Historical Document: Suppose you have a handwritten letter from the 19th century. Upload this document to Caracal.
2. Extract Text: The tool will accurately extract the handwritten text from the letter.
3. Enable NER: Turn on the Named Entity Recognition feature and customize the labels to focus on people, locations, and dates.
4. Analyze: Submit the document and review the results. Caracal will label entities such as the names of individuals, places mentioned, and specific dates.

This process can save you hours of manual work and provide valuable insights into the document’s content.

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Final Thoughts

Caracal is an impressive tool that combines handwritten text recognition with named entity analysis. Its ability to accurately extract text and categorize entities makes it a must-have for anyone working with handwritten or historical documents.