I-Corps: Translation Potential of Enhanced Barcode Technologies

The broader impact of this I-Corps project is based on the development of a solution to address challenges faced by regional supply chains at major companies that experience financial losses due to counterfeit goods and theft. Traditional 2-dimensional barcodes, such as QR codes, are currently used for tracking but lack the data capacity required for detailed tracking while adhering to common global standards.

This new barcode technology, utilizing dual modulation, offers enhanced packaging barcodes that enable more efficient tracking and verification of goods without disrupting existing workflows. This improvement could lead to significant reductions in counterfeit products and better supply chain management.

This I-Corps project utilizes experiential learning coupled with a first-hand investigation of the industry ecosystem to assess the translation potential of the technology. The solution is based on the development of two-dimensional (2D) barcode technologies that exploit the high spatial resolution and color capabilities of modern smart mobile devices.

By encoding a 2D barcode in each color channel (red, green, and blue) of an image, these channel-wise color barcodes provide a three-fold increase in data capacity over monochrome barcodes. The technology further improves traditional 2D barcode designs by using dual-modulated barcodes, where the conventional black squares are replaced with black elliptical dots whose orientation is modulated to embed additional data.

This innovative design allows for secure data communication at close distances and is particularly useful for transmitting private information in public settings.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.