raster

Definition: (1) Noun: the regular arrangement of addressable points of any output device such as printer, film-writer etc. * The pattern of lines traced by the scanning in display systems. (2) Adjective: ~ image, ~ graphic: bit-mapped image or one based on a raster structure. * Antonyms: vector image, vector graphic. Structure of the digital world The raster has emerged from the jargonistic depths of the language to become one of the back-bones of the digital era. For few are the visual things touched by technology that are not based on the raster -- which means much the same as 'grid' but sounds more technical. Note that not all rasters are aligned horizontally across and vertically: some image sensor grids are lined up at 45< and 135<.

Related Terms: addressable

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