Can the camera be used to read Barcode?

nessus · 01-07-2009, 10:03 PM

I have an idea to cowork with who knows something about reading barcode using camera, and even better he knows how to implement the idea as an app.

ambiensignal · 01-07-2009, 10:25 PM

If the person knows how to code barcode recognition from a picture, then sure. Being able to read barcodes isn't a feature in a camera.

brendand · 01-07-2009, 10:32 PM

I don't think the camera in the iPhone is capable of focusing close enough to get a good photo of the barcode though. The bars would be too close together to clearly distinguish them.

nessus · 01-07-2009, 10:52 PM

This is a 2D barcode app on windows mobile.
QuickMark v3.3 barcode reader freeware for Windows Mobile Pocket PC.

I think there should be a feasible way to recognize barcode in picture taken by smartphone camera.

mikep · 01-07-2009, 10:52 PM

There are several projects doing this. I read a story about a couple of apps on Google's Android that do this and then place flags on a map where yo could find the item close by as well (price comparison).

It had a link to 4 code projects for doing exactly that, unfortunately I cant find the link right now, but might be able to tomorrow when I am on my other computer.

I'll try to think about posting it here if I find it.

If not search, "android google book bar code camera" that might lead to a few things.

mikep · 01-07-2009, 10:58 PM

Found the project that Google is using is XZing (Zebra Crossing).

There are others as well.

nessus · 01-07-2009, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikep

There are several projects doing this. I read a story about a couple of apps on Google's Android that do this and then place flags on a map where yo could find the item close by as well (price comparison).

It had a link to 4 code projects for doing exactly that, unfortunately I cant find the link right now, but might be able to tomorrow when I am on my other computer.

I'll try to think about posting it here if I find it.

If not search, "android google book bar code camera" that might lead to a few things.

Great, but I am new to iphone app dev, so if somebody would like to collaborate, we can share some ideas.

Waiting for your digging in your another computer.

mikep · 01-07-2009, 11:02 PM

A cool blog story about bar codes in Japan and the iPhone.

QR Code Reader for iPhone - Barcodes / ZXing | Simon Blog

I am a partner in a price comparison engine and this is very interesting to us.

mikep · 01-07-2009, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nessus

Great, but I am new to iphone app dev, so if somebody would like to collaborate, we can share some ideas.

Waiting for your digging in your another computer.

I won't be digging in there until tomorrow... But I believe there were 4-5 listed. But Zebra crossing was the most interesting of them IMHO.

nessus · 01-07-2009, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikep

I won't be digging in there until tomorrow... But I believe there were 4-5 listed. But Zebra crossing was the most interesting of them IMHO.

Thank you for so many sharings, Mike.

I am looking through these links now, but I found ZXing can read many types of barcode, while Barcodes on the iphone platform only recognizes QR code. So there might be a heavy work ahead if I want to port them.

nessus · 01-08-2009, 12:07 AM

Mike, NeoReader in AppStore NOTEs that product barcodes like UPC/EAN/JAN cant be read by iphone camera.

Seems there is a barrier to bring my idea into reality for groceries.

chbeer · 01-08-2009, 01:28 AM

I tried around a bit and the cameras seems not to be capable of focusing the barcode so that you could analyse it. The picture is awfuly blurry.

I also had some nice ideas what one could do with a barcode scanner... but canceled my work on that.

nessus · 01-08-2009, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chbeer

I tried around a bit and the cameras seems not to be capable of focusing the barcode so that you could analyse it. The picture is awfuly blurry.

I also had some nice ideas what one could do with a barcode scanner... but canceled my work on that.

do you ever think about porting ZXing wholy to iphone? maybe it could improve the recognition ratio to acceptance.

Well, if that's still not applicable, let's wait for the barcode tech's maturity and iphone's camera upgrade to, say, 5mp.

mikep · 01-08-2009, 06:30 AM

The person would probably have to back up to take the photo and the you allow editing so they can let you know where the bar code it.

It seems like it is being done in Japan from one of the stories I posted earlier.

Here is the first story that I saw that talked briefly about Android and bar codes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/02/te..._r=2&adxnnl=1&

Which led me to this one about the 2 apps for android that do this...

Shopping with Google Android: Which app is best? | The Download Blog - Download.com

Which led me to searching... and reading... (I did find one decent size company that did some research on reading bar codes on cheap cameras that were all fuzzy and so on)

Barcode Reader - Project:Possibility Wiki

Ok.. And here is what you want (I think) some code to do it in Objective-C for the iPhone. I have not looked at the code yet... but they are offering it.

Barcodes as URLs

That is based on this project from Japan... http://qrcode.sourceforge.jp/

Cheers,
Mike

If you come up with a cool app, be sure to send me a token to dl it!

nessus · 01-08-2009, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikep

The person would probably have to back up to take the photo and the you allow editing so they can let you know where the bar code it.

It seems like it is being done in Japan from one of the stories I posted earlier.

Here is the first story that I saw that talked briefly about Android and bar codes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/02/te..._r=2&adxnnl=1&

Which led me to this one about the 2 apps for android that do this...

Shopping with Google Android: Which app is best? | The Download Blog - Download.com

Which led me to searching... and reading... (I did find one decent size company that did some research on reading bar codes on cheap cameras that were all fuzzy and so on)

Barcode Reader - Project:Possibility Wiki

Ok.. And here is what you want (I think) some code to do it in Objective-C for the iPhone. I have not looked at the code yet... but they are offering it.

Barcodes as URLs

That is based on this project from Japan... Open Source QR Code Library

Cheers,
Mike

If you come up with a cool app, be sure to send me a token to dl it!

Mike, you did a fabulous homework for barcode recognition. Thank you very much. You definitely give me a generous hand.

I am diving into what you offered. No matter whether it's applicable to proceed my idea, I will let you know my next action.

srowen · 01-08-2009, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nessus

Thank you for so many sharings, Mike.

I am looking through these links now, but I found ZXing can read many types of barcode, while Barcodes on the iphone platform only recognizes QR code. So there might be a heavy work ahead if I want to port them.

(I am a developer of zxing)

In case it wasn't clear, Barcodes is the iPhone client from the ZXing project. You are right that we only ported support for QR Codes. The other formats we support are 1D formats and would not decode on the iPhone because it lacks auto-focus or macro mode. (The G1 does, so that's why you see the shopping apps that scan 1D codes. Incidentally these apps also using ZXing for barcode scanning.)

The source code for Barcodes is available from the ZXing project. You are welcome to port the 1D scanning code too, but it won't work on the iPhone. However, I have heard of lenses you can add on to the iPhone to make it focus up close, which would make scanning of 1D codes feasible.

rames44 · 01-08-2009, 03:38 PM

Ya, 1D codes are tough to do on phones that don't have macro lenses because of the fine bar-space patterns in most 1D codes - the bars and spaces get blurred together.

2D codes like QR Code, DataMatrix, etc. typically are easier because they have larger modules, plus they have error correction built into the symbologies, which allows you to survive a less-than-perfect read.

The NeoMedia reader mentioned doesn't actually succeed at doing most 1D codes except in the most extreme and lucky circumstances. Their original app description was a bit misleading in that respect.

nessus · 01-08-2009, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by srowen

(I am a developer of zxing)

In case it wasn't clear, Barcodes is the iPhone client from the ZXing project. You are right that we only ported support for QR Codes. The other formats we support are 1D formats and would not decode on the iPhone because it lacks auto-focus or macro mode. (The G1 does, so that's why you see the shopping apps that scan 1D codes. Incidentally these apps also using ZXing for barcode scanning.)

The source code for Barcodes is available from the ZXing project. You are welcome to port the 1D scanning code too, but it won't work on the iPhone. However, I have heard of lenses you can add on to the iPhone to make it focus up close, which would make scanning of 1D codes feasible.

Thank you for inside information, Owen.

Then it came to a rash conclusion that porting ZXing to iphone for 1D barcode, JAN/EAN/UPC, does very little to make a steady app, unless iphone has auto-focus and macro-mode.

So we should do nothing but wait, or prepare the ZXing on iphone for iphone's hardware/software upgrade?

dicklacara · 01-08-2009, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nessus

Thank you for so many sharings, Mike.

I am looking through these links now, but I found ZXing can read many types of barcode, while Barcodes on the iphone platform only recognizes QR code. So there might be a heavy work ahead if I want to port them.

Oops... Didn't read all the posts before posting... redundant!