The barcode was invented in 1949 by Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver to automate slow grocery checkout processes. Inspired by Morse code, Woodland drew the first barcode—a "bullseye" pattern of thin and thick lines—in the sand on a Miami beach, patented in 1952, and later refined into the rectangular Universal Product Code (UPC) by IBM in the 1970s.
Key Details in the Invention
The Inspiration: While trying to solve a request for an automatic inventory system, Woodland, a former Boy Scout, used Morse code (dots and dashes) as a basis, extending them into lines.
Initial Design: The original design was actually a "bullseye" pattern rather than a rectangle, allowing it to be scanned from any direction.
The Patent: The technology was patented in 1952 by Woodland and Silver as a "Classifying Apparatus and Method".
Failed Early Technology: An early attempt used ultraviolet light to read the codes, but it was abandoned because the ink was too costly and unreliable.
The Breakthrough: While patented in 1952, it took until the early 1970s for technology like computers and lasers to become advanced enough to make the system practical.
The First Scan: The first actual scan of a UPC barcode on a commercial product occurred on June 26, 1974, on a pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit chewing gum at a Marsh Supermarket in Ohio.
Evolution to Modern Barcode: George Laurer of IBM developed the rectangular barcode (UPC) standard in 1971, which was deemed more efficient for printing than the initial bullseye design.