New 2D barcode solution based on computer generated holograms: Holographic barcode

Actually, two-dimensional (2D) barcodes are readable not only by scanners, but also by camera phones. A number of common problems are encountered in the process of scanning and decoding barcode, such as various types of noise, blur, uneven lighting, and in particular the presence of extraneous information surrounding the image. In this paper we introduce a new 2D barcode namely HoloBarcode. The proposed barcode is developed as a computer generated hologram (CGH). Exploiting the ownerships of the holography, this new 2D barcode is able to provide the embedded information even in the presence of damaged surface. In particular, HoloBarcode is particularly robust in presence of extraneous information overlapping the image. For these reasons, this new barcode can be a valid alternative in all those applications where we have possibility of "important" damages of the code itself. Measurements of robustness to such manipulations were made, on 2D HoloBarcode against the popular Data Matrix code. Comparisons between the two different 2D Barcodes are highlighted.