bar code

     

A barcoe (also bar code) is a machine-readable representation of information (usually dark ink on a light background to create high and low reflectance which is converted to 1s and 0s). Originally, barcodes stored data in the widths and spacings of printed parallel lines, but today they also come in patterns of dots, concentric circles, and text codes hidden within images. Barcodes can be read by optical scanners called barcode readers or scanned from an image by special software. Barcodes are widely used to implement Auto ID Data Capture (AIDC) systems that improve the speed and accuracy of computer data entry. An advantage over other methods of AIDC is that it is less expensive to implement. It will cost about US$0.005 to implement a barcode compared to passive RFID which still costs about US$0.07 to US$0.30 per tag.

Trivia about bar code

  • The first 5 digits in these represent the manufacturer; 16000 means General Mills
  • At the grocery store, you read the front of the box, but the register reads this jumble of lines
  • NASA was one of the first to use this product I.D. system to keep track of millions of spacecraft parts
  • In June 1974 a package of Wrigley's gum became the first product scanned having one of these
  • Seen here is the first patent for what became this time saver at the supermarket checkout

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