Barcoding News
Data tracking news, product updates, tips, and more
Google Helps Make the Physical World Searchable With Barcodes
As part of a Favorite Places initiative Google has sent out 100,000 QR code window decals to popular restaurants, stores and attractions throughout the United States.
If you scan the barcode using barcode scanner software for your mobile phone, you will be take to a page containing more information about the location.
Could this be what it takes to get QR Codes to catch on in the US the same way they have in Japan?
6 Illinois Counties Expedite Traffic Stops with Fast, Streamlined Ticket Printing
Challenge
No one enjoys getting a traffic ticket. But at least the experience should be as quick and painless as possible for officers, citizens and administrative staff.
That’s the driving force behind an initiative in six greater Chicago area counties. Circuit court clerks from the counties of Kane, Will, DuPage, McHenry, Cook and DeKalb are switching to electronic citation systems to nearly eliminate data entry throughout the public safety and court systems.
As the counties move from traditional handwritten tickets to generating tickets from mobile laptops, they need a way to print tickets legibly and without consuming too much space in squad cars. When one county tried an impact printer with pre-printed forms, the units required too much cab space and were nearly impossible to load straight, making them print illegibly.
“The biggest complaint with the old printers was that they were constantly jamming or printed in the wrong spaces,†said Tim Bosshart, Commander, Carpentersville Police Department.
Solution
In order to address these concerns, Kane County has turned to Zebra Technologies. For the citation software, the counties use QuickTicket from APS. With it, officers issue citations via laptops, auto-populating an electronic version of the state’s citation form. They can obtain data from motor vehicle queries, or from a swipe or scan of the offender’s driver’s license.
That system reduces the time for officers to issue citations and eliminates the need for law enforcement to re-key data back at their office—replacing a time-consuming, error-prone process.
A slice of Auto ID corrects Wholesale Grocer’s Inventory challenge
The Challenge
Heiderbeck was using an outdated data collection system to track and update thousands of products in its inventory. Heiderbeck specifically used a manual recording system, in which warehouse employees would print out inventory lists, make hand-written adjustments and then give the lists to other employees for updating purposes.
Without a modern automatic identification system, Heiderbeck was vulnerable to errors and data inaccuracies. After the merger between the two companies Heider and Beck, Heiderbeck decided it was time to invest in an efficient inventory tracking solution. They found the answer in an automatic identification system, which utilizes bar code scanners and customized software for product tracking.
The Solution
By choosing an automatic identification system, Heiderbeck would be equipped to facilitate a real-time inventory record, be able to write off spoiled and damaged goods and create more operational efficiencies. Automatic identification also produces a very low error rate and ensures data is available at all times, which is especially important in monitoring and updating ‘date sensitive’ product inventories.
Raising the bar for positive patient identification
The Challenge
The concept of ‘positive patient identification’ is much talked-about in the medical world, and is a fundamental requirement for correct patient care. This phrase covers all types of verification and identification practices which effect patients, hospitals and procedures. Using patient ID wristbands goes a long way to ensure the correct drugs are assigned to the correct patient – as hand- written wristbands can be misread, easily damaged or even lost.
Previously ward nurses would have to hand write all patient wristbands using information from the patients medical history. By eliminating this manual process, the hospital would save time for medical staff, allowing them to focus on other aspects of their jobs.
It was also important that the key patient demographics were taken from the hospital information system to avoid the risk of transcription errors.
Effective barcodes
According to Helena Roddy, Haemovigilance Officer, Portiuncula Hospital: “We wanted to implement a blood tracking system to assist with compliance to the EU Blood Directive. The first step in this process was to introduce barcoded patient identification wristbands.â€
“Implementation and support were also key†Roddy continued. â€We needed a solution which required minimal maintenance and expense.â€
The hospital chose a Zebra solution of printers and wristbands for use with all its adult patients and installed six LP 2844Z printers throughout the hospital as well as working with hospital staff to design the wristband. This design was key to its success, and had to contain the patient’s name, date of birth, sex, and hospital number.
Honeywell and Sydion Announce Solution for Mobile H1N1 Vaccine Administration
Honeywell’s Dolphin® 9900 and Sydion’s emergency management technology provide efficient H1N1 vaccination
Honeywell today announced that Sydion, LCC, a mobile crisis management technology company, is offering its’ patient-tracking software on Honeywell’s mobility platform to assist in the administration of the H1N1 vaccine. The system that Sydion is offering bundles Honeywell’s Dolphin® 9900 mobile computers into Sydion’s eMET®, an emergency patient tracking system, to deliver a complete offering that enables healthcare providers to effectively prepare for and manage mass H1N1 vaccine administration at locations such as hospitals, vaccination clinics or schools. Recently made available to the public, the H1N1 vaccine is in extremely high demand due to several outbreaks of the H1N1 flu, commonly known as the “swine flu.†The mobile tracking system offered by Sydion enables healthcare facilities and public health agencies to address the public need by offering a system to track, monitor and administer available vaccines either remotely or on-site.
With eMET®, patients are provided with a bar-coded wrist band or other form of identification that includes vital information which is used to create an electronic medical record. The patient ID is entered into the eMET® central database, creating a way for medical personnel to track and prioritize all patients, based on individual needs. The system automatically transmits all patient data scanned or entered into the mobile computer to the patient’s record in the eMET® database, ensuring that physicians have up-to-date information and can follow up with the patient as needed.
Free Update allows Symbol MC70 to read 8GB SDHC cards
Current Symbol MC70 devices running Windows Mobile 5 can only use standard capacity SD cards. This SDHC driver enables the device to work with high capacity SD cards. Cards up to 8GB have been tested.
Microscan Visionscape® Smart Camera Wins Global Technology Award
Microscan, a global technology leader for precision data acquisition and control solutions, announces that it has been awarded a Global Technology Award in the category of Test Equipment and Services for its Visionscape Smart Camera (formerly HawkEye 1600T). The award was presented during a ceremony that took place on Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at the New Munich Trade Fair Center in Munich, Germany.
The Visionscape® Smart Camera combines a compact form factor with the broad applicability, versatility and proven performance of machine vision software. Designed for use in a wide range of applications, the Visionscape Smart Camera provides a cost-effective, easily deployed solution for manufacturers to monitor quality, control processes, or identify and trace parts on production lines.
The innovative Visionscape® Smart Camera is a flexible solution that can be used for PCB quality inspection, device metrology inspection, and full traceability. The advanced technology used in this system includes high-end machine vision algorithms and state-of-the-art high-speed multi-core dual processor smart camera technology. This fast and powerful system is not only simple and easy to use, program, and operate, but it is totally transportable across a wide variety of applications throughout the factory—all at a fraction of the cost of traditional AOI solutions.
As a further contribution to quality and process control, Visionscape® Smart Camera inspection systems stand alone in their support of track, trace, and control processes with full blown Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Optical Character Verification (OCV), and full reading of any barcodes or 2D symbols including the most difficult Direct Part Marks (DPM).
Premiering in 2005, the Global Technology Awards program is an annual celebration of product excellence in electronics surface mount assembly. Premier products based on the finest examples of creative advancement in technology are chosen by a distinguished panel of industry experts.
Discontinuance of Ethernet for Zebra 2824 Series Label Printers
Zebra has announced the discontinuance of the ZebraNet® PrintServer II internal Ethernet option for 2824 series 2-inch desktop label printers.
The Zebra 2824 Plusâ„¢ with internal 10/100 Ethernet will directly replace the internal ZebraNet PrintServer II on the 2824 2-inch desktop printers. The 2824 Plus printers incorporate better Ethernet technology at a lower price point than the 10base-T legacy printers.
Contact us for options on purchasing our replacing your barcode printer
Add Instant Push-to-Talk (PTT) to your Motorola Mobile Computers
With the simple addition of the TEAM Express voice client, you can power your already powerful Motorola mobile computers with instant push-to-talk (PTT) communications.
Easy and cost-effective deployment
Simply purchase TEAM Express from your Motorola channel partner, download it to your mobile computer and push-to-talk. No server or PBX integration required.
Interoperability with different devices
TEAM Express-enabled mobile computers can communicate with one another, as well as TEAM VoWLAN devices. And, with the addition of the TEAM Radio Link Solution (RLS), interoperability with existing two-way radios is enabled, allowing workers to reach each other quickly — regardless of the device used. Instant access enhances productivity and, ultimately, customer satisfaction.
Compatible Motorola mobile computers
Logic Controls Hardware certified for Aldelo
Aldelo Systems Inc., the leading provider of low cost, feature rich and easy to use restaurant POS software solutions for the hospitality industry, has certified additional hardware from Logic Controls.
“Selecting the right hardware for a point of sale environment can be a difficult task; reliability and compatibility need to be considered. Using certified hardware makes this easy,” stated Harry Tu, CEO. “Aldelo is pleased to expand its list of certified Logic Controls hardware.”
Recently certified hardware includes:
- All-in-one terminal model LA3801 which incorporates a built in MSR, ELO touch screen technology, and the processing power of 1 GB Ram, 80 GB HDD, XPPro.
- Thermal USB printer model LR3000U with cable
- Model LC8200 fanless, ventless PC configured with 1 GB Ram, 80 GB HDD and WePOS
- 15¡” resistive touch screen monitor model LE1000
- MSR model MR1000 U with tracks 1 and 2
Aldelo tests hardware with its software to make sure all submitted components function, are compatible, and are easy to set up or install. Aldelo verifies that manufacturer customer service is available if issues are found or if unexpected disasters do happen, warranty services exist and are reasonable. If issues do arise, Aldelo staff can test and attempt to reproduce the issue because the hardware is available onsite at Aldelo’s Modesto, California headquarters.
