Scanners were devices used by many species, such as the Time Lords, humans and the Judoon, to gather information.
Sarah Jane Smith had a scanner watch, which was capable of detecting alien life and identifying the species and its origin. (TV: Invasion of the Bane, Enemy of the Bane)
River Song also had a scanner, which was made by Magpie Electricals and she used to open locked doors (TV: The Impossible Astronaut) and discover that the astronaut suit that her younger self had escaped from was augmented with alien technology. (TV: Day of the Moon) It also functioned as a medscanner. (TV: Flesh and Stone)
Known scanners or types of scanners included the TARDIS scanner, the Doctor's sonic screwdriver, Bekaran deep-tissue scanners, data scanners, Judoon scanners, micromeson scanners, time scanners, genetic scanners, Gregor Van Baalen's scanner, holographic scanners, infrared scanners, life scanners, Sidelian Brain Scanners, space scanners, temporal scanners, Vetlox scanners and the Zookeeper's scanner.
Bronze Daleks used visual scanners and listening scanners. (PROSE: Birth of a Legend) Bronze Daleks controlled their scans via extending their manipulator arm, (TV: Daleks in Manhattan [+]Helen Raynor, Doctor Who series 3 (BBC One, 2007).) and required them to move closer to the target of their scan. By contrast, the Daleks of the New Dalek Paradigm could perform scans without telegraphing the act. (TV: Victory of the Daleks [+]Mark Gatiss, Doctor Who series 5 (BBC One, 2010)., The Big Bang [+]Steven Moffat, Doctor Who series 5 (BBC One, 2010).)
Josiah Rowe offered to use a scanner to copy the photograph and letter his grandfather sent home during the First World War. (PROSE: Have You Seen This Man?)
In the 2010s, Daryl Christofi mentioned scanning equipment on his website among the equipment he wanted to obtain before his next dive to the sunken Elysium. (PROSE: Enthusiastic Amateur Diver Shares His Discoveries With You!)
