What Is a Barcode Scanner?
A barcode scanner is a specialized device designed to read barcodes on products or documents, decoding and extracting the encoded information. This tool is indispensable in environments like retail stores, logistics warehouses, manufacturing plants, healthcare facilities, and libraries.
The device operates by projecting light onto a barcode and capturing the light reflected. A light sensor interprets the varying intensities of reflection, which are then decoded into meaningful data by a decoder. This process translates the barcode’s patterns into readable information.
Barcode scanners streamline operations across various sectors, facilitating checkout processes in retail, inventory management in logistics, product tracking in manufacturing, and medication dispensing in healthcare. Available in forms such as handheld and fixed-mount scanners, as well as handheld terminals and imagers, they significantly enhance efficiency and accuracy in data handling.