Triipkoodi

Triipkoodi, often referred to as a barcode in English, is a method of representing data in a visual format that can be read by machines. It consists of a series of parallel lines of varying widths and spacing, and sometimes includes a numerical or alphanumeric code below the lines. The pattern of the lines and spaces encodes information, typically product identification numbers.

The most common type of barcode is the Universal Product Code (UPC), widely used in North America, and the European Article Number (EAN), prevalent in Europe and other regions. These codes are scanned at point-of-sale systems to quickly and accurately identify products, retrieve pricing information, and manage inventory. Barcodes are not limited to retail products; they are also employed in logistics, warehousing, libraries, and healthcare for tracking assets, patient identification, and managing documents.

The technology relies on optical scanners that emit a light beam across the barcode. The scanner detects the reflections from the dark bars and the spaces between them, translating these variations into digital data. This data is then processed by a computer system. The development of barcodes has significantly increased efficiency and reduced errors in many industries by automating data capture processes.