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Barcode of Future Is Tiny, Shiny

MIT researchers design an alternative with 'Bokodes'

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 27, 2009 5:50 PM CDT
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(Newser) – MIT researchers have designed a possible replacement for the conventional barcode, the BBC reports. Called Bokodes, the tags are made up of a powered light-emitting diode, a mask and a lens, and can store much more information than the black-and-white stripe variety. More, the scientists say, the Bokodes can be read by cellphone cameras, and from much greater distances.

Developers envision a supermarket aisle where Bokode-enabled products tout their nutrition and financial selling points via the customer’s phone. Bokodes could also enrich Google Maps Streetview—businesses could load menus or other information into tags mounted in their shop windows, and have the information captured by Google’s camera cars.

A conventional barcode.
A conventional barcode.   (Wikimedia Commons)
A tiny LED bokode is seen alongside traditional barcodes.
A tiny LED bokode is seen alongside traditional barcodes.   (MIT Media Lab)
A tiny LED bokode is seen alongside traditional barcodes.
A tiny LED bokode is seen alongside traditional barcodes.   (MIT Media Lab)
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Let's say you're standing in a library with 20 shelves in front of you and thousands of books. You could take a picture and you'd immediately know where the book you're looking for is.
- Dr Ankit Mohan, MIT

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 12 comments
brawne
Jul 28, 2009 12:27 PM CDT
Well, I've done it before: the rant. I'm sorry up front. But, for Pete's sake don't you realize the biggest problem that we have is that the scientists have just left us blind? To try to bring our dumb butts up to snuff is so exhausting that they just walked away. As my way smarter than I son says--it you don't understand that when you take a pic with your cell phone that a good scientist can find the image outside of your picture--not the one you saw with your eyes--than you get nothing.
brawne
Jul 28, 2009 12:09 PM CDT
You know Dark, you should keep in mind that Einstein was terrified of this.
brawne
Jul 28, 2009 12:05 PM CDT
See. This is actual reality. Great book, if you care, The Quantum Enigma, written for non-scientists who just want to understand the world which is coming way faster than any belief can hold it at bay. Personally, I'd choose religion over reality if someone--my parents--hadn't been so stupid smart.

 
cell phones • business • LEDs • information technology • bar codes • bar code readers • mobile phones • Google Street View • Bokode

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