ChatterBank1 min ago
Barcode Scanners
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.A barcode scanner basically consists of a laser and a spinning mirror with lots of reflective faces. The laser is shone onto the rotating mirror which produces a grid of lines (so that the barcode can be placed any way up in front of it).
The barcode itself consists of white and black lines of different thickness. The laser grid is reflected back from barcode to a detector. The detector sees regions of high reflection (white stripes) and low relfection (black stripes). The high/low reflection pattern is converted into a identification number by the computer, and the number describes the product, price etc.
The laser used is not dangerous, even if viewed directly. There are different classes of laser, and this type of laser is "eyesafe".