Barcode

technology · retail · invention

Lines tell stories. Barcodes use different widths and spaces between black and white lines to store information. When a scanner reads these lines, it translates them into numbers or data that computers can understand.

Stores use them everywhere. Every product in a store has a barcode that tells the cash register the price, product name, and other details. This makes checkout faster and helps stores track what they have.

QR codes are newer. Two-dimensional (2D) barcodes like QR codes use patterns of dots or squares instead of just lines. Your phone camera can scan these to open websites or download information instantly.

Scanners do the reading. Special optical scanners shine light on a barcode and detect the pattern of dark and light bars. These machines instantly convert what they see into data that computers can use.

Used beyond shopping. Barcodes track everything from library books to airplane luggage to medicine in hospitals. They make it easy to find and organize items quickly and accurately.