Re: [tlug] QR Scanners

[Attila Kinali <attila@example.com>]

On Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:38:50 +0900
Sach Jobb <sach@example.com> wrote:

> > What for do you need it? If it's just to "read" those codes,
> > an android phone with the barcode scanner app would be enough.
> 
> Unfortunately I can't go into detail publicly, but it needs to read
> them in very, very quickly.

How fast is "very quickly" for you?
>From that sparse description i'd guestimate that you have
some conveyor belt with labled goods on it.

Then i'd go for a industrial Barcode/QR code scanner system.
There are a few manufacturers of such systems here in europe,
dunno about Japan. I also dont know how they interface with
linux, but i'd guess that the more sophisticated systems that
do everything in "hardware" and only transmit the result to
the PC should either have some ready to use interface or
one can written easily. Those that do the processing on the PC
will be most likely come only with windows code and hence require
that OS. Depending on your constraints that might be an option too.

Alternatively, there are QR code reader libraries around which
use (or can use) a normal webcam as input. 
http://qrcode.sourceforge.jp and http://www.libdmtx.org come to mind.
 
> That being said, if there is a way to make it work that quickly with
> an Andriod device (maybe one of these new tablets I keep reading about
> on engadget) that would be just as well and maybe even a bit higher on
> the coolness factor.

There are a few apps out there: http://www.androlib.com/r.aspx?r=barcode
Dont know whether any are of use for you.

		Attila Kinali


-- 
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