Technology is changing at lightening speed, but how is the barcode itself changing with the times? The most basic barcode is made of vertical black and white stripes (a 1-dimensional or 1D barcode) which usually represents a set of alphanumeric characters. Those characters are then linked to an item, product name, price, etc. in a database. Now, 2-dimensional or 2D barcode are able to encode more data in a smaller space using various geometric patterns. So, for example on a driver's license the name of a person, their age and their address can all be encoded in a 2D barcode the size of a postage stamp. A couple years ago, MIT reportedly came up with a completely new type of "barcode," called the Bokode, which is only 3 millimeters wide (about the size of the @ sign on a typical keyboard). The Bokode can hold much more information than either a 1D or 2D barcode and can be read from a further distance using a camera-based interaction. Currently, the Bokode requires a special lens and light source to work, but in the future it could be much less expensive and easier to use. The new technologies promise more productivity and greater savings, however organizations can still greatly benefit from the tried and true technology of the basic 1D barcode. All barcodes, if used properly, help save time, money and effort by automating tasks that used to be done by hand!