How the Barcode Was Invented By Yara Simón | November 5, 2024 On June 26, 1974, history was made when the first grocery item—a pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum—was scanned using a Universal Product Code (UPC) at a supermarket in Ohio. This moment marked the birth of a technology that transformed retail and beyond, known today simply as the barcode. While the UPC code became a global standard in the 1970s, the journey began much earlier. In 1949, engineers Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver filed a patent for a “classifying apparatus and method,” featuring a circular “bull’s-eye” design inspired by Morse code. The concept faced limitations due to costly technology and impractical requirements for scanning. In 1969, IBM’s Paul V. McEnroe and his team took on the challenge of modernizing barcode tech for practical use in grocery stores. Engineer George Laurer’s innovative approach—using linear bars—proved key, allowing data to be scanned from different angles. Despite early resistance from consumers and labor unions concerned about job loss, the barcode gained widespread acceptance by the early 1980s, revolutionizing inventory management and checkout efficiency. The barcode’s development reflects the power of teamwork and adaptability in problem-solving, setting the stage for global retail transformation. Today, barcodes are essential across various industries, from healthcare to space exploration. To read the full story, visit: www.history.com/news/upc-barcode-invention-ibm-laurer.
Posted by InventorsInHistory at 2024-11-07 18:45:46 UTC