Three practical, totally awesome uses of barcode technology
The extent of most people’s knowledge of barcode technology extends to “uh, that thing they scan at the shops”. Well i’m here to educate you, fools!
You can use them to aid your diet
That’s right, barcodes help you to lose weight. Not via consumption, of course, but new app technology on smartphones now allows you to keep track of your calorie intake in a matter of seconds. All you have to do is download one of the many dieting apps, and before you decide whether to consume that chocolate bar or not, scan it in to see exactly how many calories it contains! Easy as…pie.
Gaming consoles
OK, so although modern gaming is a little more advanced in 2017, there was a simpler time when barcode technology was pivotal to virtual gameplay. ‘Epochs barcode battler’ was a handheld console that was designed to compete with the Gameboy. The console came with cards containing barcodes that represented players and power ups. When the barcode was swiped, battle would commence. Sadly, the epoch barcode battler wasn’t quite as popular as the Nintendo Gameboy, but they loved it in Japan for a while.
Use barcodes to find your missing pets
I had a friend created a tiny QR tags to attach to their kittens collar. Once scanned, the QR tag would bring up all of the owners contact information should it ever get lost or in trouble. The great thing about this is pretty much everybody owns a smartphone or at least knows somebody who does. Radio frequency technology is also used. Although it wouldn’t be able to use GPS to track down your mischievous mate, it could contain useful information to ensure that they get home safe and sound. Speaking of, where’s Fido?
