Acoustic Bar Codes - Scratch This

I saw something this week that made me scratch my head a little (no pun intended).

What are being called "acoustic bar codes," designed by computer scientists at Carnegie Mellon University, allow us to scratch specially notched patterns and trigger specific actions. Actions like flipping to the next slide during a presentation, or setting up call waiting.

Similar to traditional 1D bar codes, the acoustic bar codes are made of a series of etched lines of varying thicknesses, with space between the lines. The bar code is activated by dragging a fingernail or other tool over the lines.

The creators imagine these bar codes could perform many of the functions QR codes do, but they seem limited in comparison with the 2D bar codes.

Watch the video below to find out more.

What's your opinion of acoustic bar codes? Leave a comment below.