| There are many types of barcode scanners available | | | | section on a product. The way these scanners work is |
| on the market as of now, and some of them are really | | | | that they form a sort of grid of tiny laser like lights on |
| impressive. For example, the laser scanner is a very | | | | the surface of the barcode part of the product. |
| interesting piece of equipment once you understand | | | | Because barcodes are usually printed on white |
| the principle behind it. One of the most famous | | | | backgrounds a part of that light emitted from the |
| alternative to laser scanners are CCD based | | | | scanner is reflected to a receiver inside the head of |
| scanners. | | | | the scanner. That light is translated into a voltage using |
| CCD scanners are a different kind of scanners as | | | | a photovoltaic cell, and that amount of voltage |
| they don't have any moving parts thus they're more | | | | corresponds to a single type of product in the store. |
| reliable and less prone to failure. Another type of | | | | After the information is sent from the scanner to the |
| scanner is the 2d barcode scanner which is the most | | | | computer it's then cross referenced to a database - |
| popular type of scanner. You'll see it in almost any | | | | which is also stored on the computer - to which the |
| shop, may it be a clothing shop, a hypermarket or just | | | | scanner is connected to. All this stuff happens in a |
| your regular corner street shop. | | | | matter of nanoseconds - the reader emits a grid of |
| Laser scanners use moving mirrors and light diodes | | | | laser like lights on the barcode part of the product. A |
| and are more likely to fail in a shorter amount of time, | | | | part of the light is reflected back from the white |
| whereas CCD barcode scanners use LEDs that are | | | | surface to a receiver placed inside the head of the |
| known to last 10 times more than light diodes. 2d | | | | barcode scanner (also known as a photovoltaic cell) |
| barcode scanners also make use of the CCD | | | | which translates the light into a voltage and after |
| technology to function. | | | | wards cross references it to a database to find out |
| The principle behind the CCD technology isn't in any | | | | what product it scanned. |
| way mind blowing - a CCD scanner uses an array of | | | | And that's just how barcode scanners work. |
| small light sensors that are pointed at the barcode | | | | |