Barcodes and QR codes display information that is more easily read by computers than humans. Although software has improved a lot, computers are still having tough time decoding the human languages because of several complicating factors.
- When humans write by hand the result is too often text not always mathematically aligned
- Transparent or semitransparent labels and covers that bring another complicating the reading process parameter
- The too much or too little light, the brightness and the glow from the sun or even some lamp.
- Natural Text Decoding Software – sometimes not good enough – especially for non Western [Latin] Languages
Because of their mathematical nature – lines and squares – the codes are super more easily captured by machines than any human individual could possibly do. First commercial application was probably over 50 years ago and fascinated with fast and instant user experience. Their use in the shops, markets and cashiers expanded all over the world and became a standard.
And the supreme dominance of gadgets and technology opened up new applications beyond commerce.
Whatever a producer encodes (mostly numbers) in these black and white stuff, what it could mean expanded because of the evolution of the Internet Devices and the endless services where a text or a number could mean different thing.
A barcode passed through the scanner in the shop could mean you own X amount of money to the supermarket.
The total amount and some validating hashes on receipts and bills.
Ordering items in restaurants (and in Japan – even in the subway so when a person arrives home, the product he scanned previously will be there)
If you scan a food product present on my site What You Eat, you could show you the beneficial or the harmful ingredients.
QR Codes on product labels most often point to the Web Site of the producers.
Smartphones are able to share securely Wi-Fi passwords (and more) without displaying them in human readable form.
Physicals Business Cards encode information – names, corporate positions, phone numbers, emails and so on – so any person with could add them to the Contacts Database of a Smart Device – without typing or saying a word.
Corporations put Software Licenses – printed on stickers glued to computers and laptops.
The Private key or the Public key of a Bitcoin Wallet.
The codes paired with a smart device and a software platform could point out to the Work Progress in factories of all kinds.
Tags on domestic or farm animals. Could be especially useful if the pet gets lost
The same way nowadays guards in institutions and places measure our temperature (2020), on live events and concerts there could be QR or Bar codes badges or bracelets with the ticket information that will verify that we’ve paid for entering.
Medical information – When you are in a hospital, the doctors, instead of wasting time on bureaucracy, could spend more time treating the patients. A scan on a bracelet with a barcode could inform medical personal of the current condition and the operations the human went through. The Medical Assistant will assign a procedure as fast as clicking on a Check Box after the identification of the person. The need of written data currently forces lines of waiting sick people in front of the doors and writing on papers what the next doctor should do.
National Identity Cards – the ID Number is always in specific place on the card. A barcode or number reader could read them and search in a Country Owned Database when going through borders and airports and so on.
The #appllications of these codes are endless. Do you have a new idea where barcodes could fit in?