BarcodeScanning

Barcodescanning is the process of capturing data from barcodes using a device such as a standalone scanner, a camera-based scanner, or a mobile device. Barcodes encode information in a machine-readable pattern of bars and spaces (1D) or in a two-dimensional matrix (2D). Scanners convert the pattern into a digital value that a computer system can interpret, enabling automatic data entry and inventory control.

Barcodes are categorized into 1D and 2D formats. 1D symbologies include UPC and EAN used widely in retail, Code 39 and Code 128 used in industry and logistics. 2D symbols such as QR codes, Data Matrix, and PDF417 can hold more data and are readable from imaged captures by cameras.

Scanning technologies include laser scanners, which project a laser line, CCD/CMOS imagers that capture an image, and mobile devices that use built-in cameras and software. 2D imagers can read damaged or poorly printed barcodes by capturing and decoding the entire symbol. Decoding software applies error correction and validates data against control codes or checksum digits.

Standards and formats are managed by groups such as GS1, which governs many retail and supply-chain barcodes. Common formats include UPC/EAN in retail, GS1 DataMatrix, and QR Code. Barcode labels are typically designed for readability by the intended scanners and may include human-readable text.

Applications span retail checkout, warehouse and inventory management, asset tracking, shipping and receiving, healthcare, and libraries. Benefits include faster checkout, reduced data-entry errors, improved traceability, and cost savings. Limitations include label damage, printing quality, orientation, glare, and environmental conditions that impede scanning.

History: The barcode was developed by Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver in the 1940s, with the first commercially scanned barcode in 1974. Since then, 2D barcodes and smartphone-based scanning have expanded applications beyond retail into fields such as logistics, manufacturing, and digital ticketing.