What capability allows a scanner to convert text on a page into editable digital data?

The capability that allows a scanner to convert text on a page into editable digital data is optical character recognition (OCR). This technology works by analyzing the shapes of the letters and numbers on the scanned image and converting them into corresponding text characters in a digital format. With OCR, scanned documents can be transformed from a static image into a text file that can be edited, searched, and formatted. This is particularly useful for digitizing printed documents, making it possible to edit and reuse text without having to retype it.

In the context of the other options, image processing technology refers to the manipulation and analysis of images, but it does not specifically denote the conversion of text to editable data. Flatbed scanning describes a type of scanner design and workflow, focusing on how the scanning is performed rather than the features that enable text recognition. Thermal printing is a method of printing that uses heat to transfer ink onto a surface, unrelated to scanning or text conversion.