The birth of the code

The beginning of the codigo de barras has not been so bright as it is now. It had a slow and hard upcoming. The only thing that kept them alive was the sheer potential people saw in the technology. It was clear from the start that if implemented correctly to businesses it could have a huge impact.

The legendary black lined design was born in 1951 but it did not shine at its fullest until almost three decades later. Luckily it was not given up, instead, it was improved upon.
 
Finding Waldo, except Waldo, is everywhere

Nowadays códigos de barras are literally everywhere. This may seem as somewhat grim but it actually made life better for people. Everybody knows the logistical boost resulted from them. Efficiency sky-rocketed. But there are also other interesting uses of the well-known codigo de barras.

Marketing has been a great benefiter of this technology. In tech-savvy countries such as Japan, you can see QR ads in lots of places, like  train stations, streets, restaurants and newspapers. People got accommodated to scanning the codes and so businesses offer promotions, coupons and other things through them. Some companies have directly printed QR codes on the labels of their products. Even though some countries are a little behind, almost everybody has access to a smartphone. So it’s a question of ‘when’ they are going to catch up, not of ‘if’.

With the environment in mind, places like theatres and cinemas started selling tickets only in digital format. You just show the bought ticket at the said event, the staff will scan it (or it might be automated) and you’re good to go. It will be cheaper for both parties since the cost of printing is out of the way. Even airports now accept tickets in this way. It makes booking and traveling a lot easier.

Another place where you find códigos de barras as a main component is in video games. Although the industry has had many attempts to create a good augmented reality game, but it  had failed until the very last few years. Now the technology allows for a full 3D figurine to pop out at a simple smartphone scan. Better so, dedicated gaming devices can process full-fledged video games. They might be just a fighting or racing game, or they might have a full storyline.

Even the books industry has shifted a lot in the last years. It now concentrates more on e-books that can be bought at the scan of a codigo de barras. In fact, now you can easily find entire digital libraries based in physical locations. How does it work? They usually have the same setting regarding the furniture except for the walls which do not have shelves anymore. They instead have wallpapers that mimic shelves with books and every book has a QR code on it. A client can just scan it for a preview (or for the full book if it’s a public library instead of retail).

Health and fitness

In these areas, some phone apps have been made and they have been greatly received. Some of them can give you all the nutritional value of a product you plan to consume just by scanning the barcode. The apps can also memorize your daily intake and let you know how well or bad you ate. They can also plan future meals for you. A great feature for fitness enthusiasts and healthy eating in general. 

Pop culture icon

Often the classic barcode has been used in art pieces or has been seen as an artwork by itself. It is most often portrayed in sci-fi movies but you can find it in other genres as well. It is most famously displayed at the back of the Hitman’s head, the character from the well-know game and show series. There are quite a few physical displays of the code as a piece of art. They range from actual museums to huge hypermarkets that are designed like one.

Resource box: Whether you see a  codigo de barras  as a work of art or not it’s not the main point. The most important thing to bear in mind is that  códigos de barras  in general have improved more aspects of daily life than people think about.