The barcode scanner is very much part of modern life. When we buy products they are scanned with a barcode scanner at the checkout and the price appears on the till. The whole process of checking a book out of a library has been speeded up by use of a barcode scanner which records what you are borrowing it. In other words, the barcode scanner affects all our lives in one way or other.

And, of course, we see several different types of scanner in the stores such as handheld and wireless varieties which work with USB connections to computers in the store.  Many people wonder just exactly ‘what is a barcode scanner’ and we try to answer that question on this site along with exactly which are the best scanners for businesses to use.

But what does a barcode scanner actually do? As the name suggests it scans a barcode – they look like a set of black vertical lines – stamped on an item. The vertical lines are of varying widths and spacing. And it is this that contains the information about the item that is read by the barcode scanner.

The scanner reads the barcode by directing a beam of light across it. The light energy produced by the scanner is then turned into electrical energy. A decoder then turns it into data which is then fed through to a computer.

The data is of utmost importance, especially in shops and stores, as it enables them know the level of the stock far more quickly than by traditional stocktaking.

The technology of barcode scanners has progressed rapidly over the years. Modern barcode scanners come with a video camera. And there are also Barcode LED and laser scanners as well as handheld scanners which are at the top end of the technology used in this equipment.

There are several different types of barcode scanners to suit the location they are being used. Nowadays the most common type of barcode scanner we see is the handheld.  They are seen being used pricing goods on supermarket shelves although increasingly the wireless scanners are now being used.

Also commonly used in stores is the stationary barcode scanner. The goods are slid over them them to record the barcode data.

Fixed position barcode scanners are used in factories where pallets can be run past them on a conveyor belt.