Barcodes

Barcodes
By Micha Rand

Did you know that the barcode at first looked like a bullseye? I didn't think so. This report will discuss the barcode's origins, along with what it is and how it is helpful.

Origins

It all started when a student named Bernard Silver at the Drexel University of Philadelphia overheard the dean of his school chatting with the president of a grocery store chain. The president announced that he desired an automated checkout counter. Bernard told his friend, Norman Woodland, about what he had heard and they quickly set to work. According to Steven Levy, It took more than a decade to patent the barcode, and Silver never lived to see it used in the world.


What it is

In addition to its origins, I would like to describe what a barcode is. A barcode is made of thick and thin lines that represent numbers. When an item is bought, it is scanned by a laser that is connected to the computer. According to the World Book encyclopedia the computer recognizes the absence of lines. The item is now recorded as bought.


How it's helpful

Currently, barcodes are used all over the world. They save a lot of time by helping businesses keep track of their inventory. They are also time efficient by telling the computer at supermarkets what price a food is and how much the customer will pay.


In conclusion, the barcode has a very interesting background, is very helpful, and is actually quite complicated. However, barcodes are rapidly changing. QR codes are a type of barcode that contains more information than barcodes used to. Soon, the world might not need barcodes.





















Works Cited

"bar code." Britannica School High. Web. 1 Dec. 2014



Levy, Steven. "Bar codes." EBSCO host. Web. 26 Nov. 2014


"Barcode History: 5 Things You Didn't Know About Barcodes." Scandit. Web. 8 Dec. 2014