GM73 Barcode and QR Scanner Module – Round

We love to imagine our mascot hero, Octiman, scanning the area with a flash of light on one of his daring space adventures. Scanners are one of a few technologies that have been so effective that few question how they exactly work. We are so familiar with the rhythmic beeps coming from shop tillers, but like with all technology, Makers have a curiosity to satisfy. Barcode Scanners are in fact a classic technology that utilises intelligent image recognition to decode physical codes and output a sequence of special numbers and letters. Despite being so simple, barcodes have managed to maintain their position as the most convenient means of storing and rapidly disseminating information in tiny bite-sized stickers or prints. And with a simple component like the GM73 Barcode Scanner Module, you can create your own scanning device and traverse the utility of barcodes for your own creative plans.

The GM73 Barcode and QR Scanner Module has a compact, round design that easily integrates into your unique projects. A fast scan speed of 1 second recognises 1D and 2D barcodes, including the ever-popular QR code. This round design places the image recognition sensor in the middle with a 40mm hole, creating a sleek aesthetic for your DIY scanning project. With a USB and UART interface, this scanner is ideal for embedding into your doorway for access control or a subtle addition to your robotic friend so that it can scan your input codes.

Additionally, the GM73 Barcode and QR Scanner Module has an onboard white LED and a red LED for focusing which allows you to keep scanning even in low-light environments! Regardless of what industry you’re in or the styles of barcodes that you use, these electronic sensors are a great choice for very reliable product categorisation, security access control, front gate scanners and other rapid identification applications.

Typical Applications for GM73 Barcode Scanner Module:

Many rightly assume the Barcode Scanner Module was designed for a very specific application – to scan barcodes – but these scanners are surprisingly diverse in functionality. The GM73 Barcode Scanner can read QR codes as well as 1D and 2D barcodes. In everyday applications, you might imagine using this module to scan barcodes on clothing tags at the store or scan your parking ticket to open the gates. However, the GM73 scanner is shaped differently as round instead of the usual rectangular hand-held version. With quick scanning speed too, this Barcode Scanner is ideal to incorporate into other machinery and customised projects. These typical applications highlight one of the only unique and unexpected functions a barcode scanner offers, which is the ability to act as an input device by scanning particular codes for numbers and letters. Despite its original function, the scope for creativity is not entirely lost. Makers have crafted their own interesting uses for this everyday technology by creating their own barcode scanners embedded inside other machinery and customising their project’s interaction interface.

As self-proclaimed “Robo-holics”, DFRobot is a company comprised of over 100 staff members, of which 30% are engineers who love to build robots. It was started in 2008 with the goal of embracing and promoting open-source hardware, with a core focus on Arduino, Raspberry Pi and their very own LattePanda development boards. Since then, DFRobot have manufactured over 1300 unique modules, sensors and components that all work together and complement each other, allowing users like us to enjoy a full spectrum of cutting edge robotics and electronics without having to pay premium prices.

With the primary goal of developing and manufacturing great quality products, while making them accessible to as many people as possible, DFRobot are rapidly becoming one of the most common-place brands in the world of open-source robotics and electronics. With more than 1300 products developed in-house, and an impressive range of different categories and specialisations, there are few brands in the world who can compete in terms of quality, accessibility and genuine innovation.