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barcode scanner

technology
Also known as: bar code scanner

Quick Summary

A barcode is a printed series of parallel bars or lines of varying width used to enter data into a computer system. These bars represent binary digits (0s and 1s), which can form numbers that a digital computer processes. The numbers represented by the barcode are also printed below it.1

A barcode scanner, often a laser scanner, reads this information. This can be a handheld device or a scanner built into surfaces like checkout counters. When the scanner passes over the code, or the code passes over the scanner, the computer stores or processes the data. This technology, introduced in the 1970s, is widely used in retail for inventory and pricing, assigning unique codes to products for efficient transaction processing.12

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  1. barcode
  2. scanner

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