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You have often seen them on cereal boxes, books, and merely about every consumer product on store shelves. Those are the infamous UPC barcodes. But why are they needed? Who's using them, and what kind of information will they glean from them?
What's promising about Universal Product Code (UPC) barcodes is they weren't used for nefarious government purposes as was feared when they were first introduced commercially in the 1970s. That point might be coming in the future, until then they are harmless towards the average consumer. They are utilised primarily to trace inventory for retail, manufacturing along with other purposes.
History of the UPC Barcode
The history from the used PC barcode actually dates back towards the early 1930s and also the first automated checkout system featuring technology using punch cards. Inventors Bernard Silver and Joseph Woodland patented the very first barcode system in the early 1950s based on their previous knowledge of those earlier punch card systems.
Various organizations and business entities then continued to test out the UPC barcode with the 1960s, yet commercial success seemed elusive for the most part. However, in the early 1970s, IBM introduced the current barcode for commercial use. And what was the very first product they coded? A pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit chewing gum.
How it operates
A typical UPC barcode consists of a combination of black strips, white spaces and numerical digits. As many as 12 digits from the UPC number, with each number sequence being represented by a specific combination of black strips and white spaces. Uniqueness is achieved by allowing just one way to display any numerical sequence.
By arranging the black strips and white spaces accordingly, the UPC barcode supplies a graphical image that may be scanned using infrared light or any other similar technologies. The initial number sequence of every individual code may be used to retrieve and store data linked to the item scanned.
DIY UPC Barcodes
Organizations such as the U.S. Postal Service and UPS use UPC barcodes to track packages. Retailers like Walmart and Kmart make use of the codes to trace inventory in warehouses and local department stores. Manufacturers make use of the codes to control raw materials coming in and finished products heading out. But you may use them you to ultimately manage your own small business or keep an eye on possessions in your house for insurance purposes.
There are a number of free software application programs that permit individual customers to create and print their own barcodes. All that you should do is link them to a database or spreadsheet, then print a label and fix it to anything you want to track. With a smart phone or PDA your UPC bar codes become an easy and efficient method to keep track of whatever you desire.