A reading device includes a position reference member and a reader. The position reference member has a reference pattern that includes a line extending in a prescribed direction. The position reference member is configured to relatively move in a direction orthogonal to the prescribed direction. The reader includes a plurality of sensor chips, each of the sensor chips including a plurality of pixels. The reference pattern corresponds to each of the sensor chips of the reader.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an image reading unit, an image inspecting unit and a history generating unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a sheet. The image reading unit reads a sheet face on which the image is formed, thereby generating a scan image. The image inspecting unit compares the generated scan image with a normal image to detect an error in the scan image. When the image inspecting unit detects the error, the history generating unit generates detection information on the detected error and embeds the generated detection information in the scan image, thereby generating a history image.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an image reading unit, an image inspecting unit and a history generating unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a sheet. The image reading unit reads a sheet face on which the image is formed, thereby generating a scan image. The image inspecting unit compares the generated scan image with a normal image to detect an error in the scan image. When the image inspecting unit detects the error, the history generating unit generates detection information on the detected error and embeds the generated detection information in the scan image, thereby generating a history image.

An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, an image reading unit, an image inspecting unit and a history generating unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a sheet. The image reading unit reads a sheet face on which the image is formed, thereby generating a scan image. The image inspecting unit compares the generated scan image with a normal image to detect an error in the scan image. When the image inspecting unit detects the error, the history generating unit generates detection information on the detected error and embeds the generated detection information in the scan image, thereby generating a history image.

An image forming apparatus includes a conveyor to convey a conveyed object in a conveyance direction, a plurality of head units to perform image formation on the conveyed object, a displacement sensor disposed downstream from the plurality of head units to detect a position adjustment image on the conveyed object, formed by the plurality of head units, and at least one processor configured to adjust an image formation position of at least one of the head units in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, based on a result generated by the displacement sensor. The image forming apparatus further includes a surface sensor to obtain surface data of the conveyed object at a position corresponding to the head unit to be adjusted, and the processor further adjusts the image formation position in the orthogonal direction based on the surface data obtained by the surface sensor.

A reading device includes a position reference member and a reader. The position reference member has a reference pattern that includes a line extending in a prescribed direction. The position reference member is configured to relatively move in a direction orthogonal to the prescribed direction. The reader includes a plurality of sensor chips, each of the sensor chips including a plurality of pixels. The reference pattern corresponds to each of the sensor chips of the reader.

An image forming apparatus includes a conveyor to convey a conveyed object in a conveyance direction, a plurality of head units to perform image formation on the conveyed object, a displacement sensor disposed downstream from the plurality of head units to detect a position adjustment image on the conveyed object, formed by the plurality of head units, and at least one processor configured to adjust an image formation position of at least one of the head units in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, based on a result generated by the displacement sensor. The image forming apparatus further includes a surface sensor to obtain surface data of the conveyed object at a position corresponding to the head unit to be adjusted, and the processor further adjusts the image formation position in the orthogonal direction based on the surface data obtained by the surface sensor.

A line confocal microscope system, comprising a scanning unit in the form of a mechanically driven scanning unit with a controllable a scanning trajectory and a two dimensional sensor unit operated in a rolling line shutter mode in synchronization with the scanning unit, wherein the scanning trajectory is set to have an acceleration part outside the field of view of the sensor unit.

An image forming apparatus acquires shape data indicating a shape of a sensing sheet conveyed along a conveyance route, adjusts a position of a first image in first image data including the first image on the basis of a positional relationship between a sheet region in the acquired shape data and a first reference position in the shape data, forms an image based on the adjusted first image data on the sensing sheet, and senses an amount of positional misalignment of an imaging portion to be used to acquire the shape data by using the sensing sheet on which the image has been formed.