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We have developed our own camera-based barcode scanning driver: here are the speed comparisons with an imager
CONTACT, devis
Contact Productivix Sarl: development of barcode or RFID traceability mobile management applications, generic by Android smartphone or custom with backend, with rugged terminals and printers - contact by email with this form
TEL +33 437 051 384 / Skype : Productivix
Cost savings and acceptable barcode scanning speed with our camera software
we develop our own camera scan drivers
We have developed in Oct 2022 our own new driver to scan faster than before by Android smartphone camera.
How fast will you have to scan barcodes with your Android device? The camera or a barcode terminal with imager?
Impact on the cost of ownership of the mobile scanning solution. Comparisons.
We also provide qualified terminals for our applications.
With which mobile can we scan?}
Basically, you can scan with the camera of a smartphone, whether it is an Android or an Apple (ios). Then on more complex devices, with a 1D scanner or a 2D imager integrated, but it depends on the driver embedded in these devices, if it can be accessed by software or not ("SDK" provided, which require integration work).
The speed of barcode scanning depends on :
- the quality of the optics, the firmware of your camera (always the one on the back of the device), imager or scanner integrated in your smartphone, named in this case "ruggedized terminal".
- the quality, font of your printed barcodes: you have items or labels that you do not control the printing: reading the barcode font (see Le code barre et sa lecture : les principes) will take more or less seconds or milliseconds depending on the reader, or even not be readable at all!
- the position of the barcodes on the label: proximity, number, white zone "quiet zone" around each one,
- the ergonomics of the software: the position of the keys, the touch pads will save you one or two seconds per scan,
- the number of information to be filled in by the operator: this depends on the need of the application.
Here we will focus on the first 3 points.
Which applications for which machines?
We develop two families of Android applications:
- one for terminals with integrated scanner, which integrates the latest SDKs known from recognized manufacturers and scanning heads.
- one for scanning on a smartphone via the camera.
Camera: an acceptable alternative to the imager with our camera scan driver
Being developers, we focused on improving the cheapest solution for our customers: the smartphone camera. We have developed a new driver, almost twice as fast as the old ones, which we will integrate from the end of October 2022 on our new traceability applications.
Impact of the scanning speed on the installation cost
We measured for the same simple application, we can save three (3) times more time with an integrated scanner compared to a smartphone with the classic camera driver.
Unfortunately, this has costs:
- in hardware: terminals with scanner are much more expensive, some in the same proportion,
- in development: the integration of the SDKs (access libraries) of these scanners takes time specifically for each requested hardware, and therefore is deferred to the costs of participation in the development and to the updating of the programs, and therefore the license.
So, the right question to ask before requesting a development or mobile scanning configuration: at what minimum speed will I need to scan? At what distance will I need to scan?
With this question in mind, we decided to look at the so-called classic camera driver.
After a month of development, we came up with a solution on a mid-range camera, which allows to spend only 50% more time than with an imager. The better the camera, the better the ratio.
To give some level of speed values, in close reading (see comparative table below), you can scan, with validation key (for work) at speeds FOR 10 different barcodes, in different positions, up to about :
– 70 seconds with the camera of your smartphone (depends on the optics and the embedded firmware, here classic)
– 25 seconds with integrated scanner,
– and with our camera driver, it takes 38 seconds, or even 10 seconds in continuous scan mode.
So: is the choice of the terminal with imager necessary for close reading?
The imager has undeniable advantages in medium and long range reading, and on extremely small codes (4 to 8 mm) this is another factor to consider.
You already have an Android terminal and you wish to entrust us with a development on it, or to test your printed labels (points 2 and 3 (ask us for the link to load the test app)
BUT we develop mainly for BOTH technologies : imager and camera !
Attached documents
Comparative scan speeds for imager and camera with our drivers