Self-service trends require hands free automated scanning of barcodes. Most popular applications are in transportation, airlines, rail and retail. These kiosks need small aggressive scanners capable of reading 1 and 2D barcodes in a manner that’s easy for the user.
Items scanned include airline boarding passes and personal identification or loyalty cards. The ability to read from cellphone screens is highly desirable. Typical barcode symbologies include PDF417, Aztec, QR, and Datamatrix in addition to traditional 1D linear barcodes. Inherently the scanner should be omnidirectional so the user need not orient the barcode for reading. They must read every time to avoid user frustration.
Typically configured in presentation mode these devices occupy a volume of about 1.5 cubic inches and are tethered by a short USB or RS232 cable.
