Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Barcode reader
open-in-new
<p>A barcode reader or barcode scanner is an <a href="/facts/Optical_scanner/7DEJFTwx">optical scanner</a> that can read printed <a href="/facts/Barcode/Mkh4cCTp">barcodes</a> and send the data they contain to <a href="/facts/Computer/SQe1aK05">computer</a>. Like a <a href="/facts/Flatbed_scanner/7DEJFTwx">flatbed scanner</a>, it consists of a light source, a lens, and a light sensor for translating optical impulses into electrical signals. Additionally, nearly all barcode readers contain <i>decoder</i> circuitry that can analyse the barcode's image data provided by the sensor and send the barcode's content to the scanner's output port. </p>