Warehouse operators are increasingly turning to technology to drive process optimisation to meet customer expectations, and according to a recent study, Internet of Things technologies are one of the core reasons for this growth. In the recently released Warehouse Vision Study, Zebra Technologies surveyed 1,370 IT and warehouse operations professionals on their opinions in 2015 […]
The simple idea that a small patch of black and white lines could identify an item has revolutionised the way that we shop since barcodes were first used to sell a packet of chewing gum in 1974. Now scientists from Princeton University hope that the same idea could transform conservation, after they developed a […]
The humble barcode has been a regular part of grocery store shopping since 1974, with the first ever product being scanned on June 26th of that year. Since then, they have become almost invisible, with some package designs finding ingenious ways to hide or dress up their somewhat garish appearance. However, with smartphones and apps […]
While consumers may immediately think of fitness trackers when they picture wearables, the devices are quickly migrating out of the gym and into the office, with the wearable scanner market experiencing rapid expansion. ABI Research forecasts enterprise wearable scanner shipments will reach nearly 22 million by 2021, increasing from just seven million in 2016. “Wearable […]
With 605 patents to his name, Jerome Lemelson (1923-1997) was one of the most prolific and enthusiastic inventors in U.S. history. (He and his bride spent part of their honeymoon at the U.S. Patent Office.) His high-tech mechanisms contributed significantly to the invention of industrial robots, fax machines, cordless telephones and camcorders. But it was […]
How small can I make a barcode? Barcodes can come in a wide range of sizes and can get down to a 1/8th inch square when using a 2D code. However, there is a trade off since making such a small code will limit the amount of characters you use and will require a high […]
How does a barcode work? A barcode essentially is a way to encod e information in a visual pattern that a machine can read. The combination of black and white bars (elements) represents different text characters which follows a set algorithm for that barcode type. If you change the sequence of elements you get different […]
Different types of barcode scanners are available for all kinds of applications. In small, convenience stores, you’ll typically find a basic wand scanner. The simplest ones look like electronic pens or giant, oversized razors. They shine red LED light onto the black and white barcode pattern and then read the pattern of reflected light with […]
It would be no good having barcodes if we didn’t have the technology to read them. Barcode scanners have to be able to read the black-and-white zebra lines on products extremely quickly and feed that information to a computer or checkout terminal, which can identify them immediately using a product database. Here’s how they do […]
Currently, the four different types of bar code readers available are the pen type readers (bar code wands), laser bar code scanners, CCD (Charge Couple Devices) barcode readers and camera based barcode readers. Each of these types use a slightly different Technology for reading and decoding a bar code. Pen Type Readers or Bar […]
Costs for handheld barcode scanners vary as widely as the functionality and capabilities they offer. Generally, image-capture scanners are more expensive than laser scanners, with omni-directional scanners costing more than straight-line laser scanners. This corresponds to scanning capabilities, asomni-directional scanners and image-capture scanners capable of decoding both 1D and 2D barcodes, whereas straight-line laser scanners […]
Now that you have an idea of your application’s requirements, you can begin to narrow down the handheld scanner models that meet your specifications. There are several primary features and characteristics that can help you determine the best handheld scanner for your needs. Corded vs. Cordless Scanners – If your application requires outdoor, on-floor, or cross-facility […]