Optical tags could kill barcode

Bokodes, a new optical data storage technology, could help hasten the era of ubiquitous computing, in which every object can be linked to the Internet, reports InformationWeek.

Researchers from MIT's Media Lab have created a new optical tag that can store a million times more data than a similarly-sized barcode, without the privacy risks of RFID tags.

The tag is only 3mm, much smaller than a typical barcode and relies on a new way of encoding data: measuring the brightness and angle of light rays coming from a Bokode tag.

A Japanese company named Sumitomo Electric Industries has developed "the world's first (pure) green laser diode," states Gizmodo.

This development could result in TVs and pocket projectors that are superior "in terms of size, weight and power consumption".

For this reason, research and development activities aimed at commercialisation of these devices have expanded rapidly over the past several years.

Timepieces that double as voice recorders, MP3 players, cameras and mobile phones dominate the market, according to Global Sources.

The latest multifunction watches from China incorporate the capability for the capture and playback of audio visual media, and mobile communication.

Suppliers are fitting recent designs with electronic modules that can record sound, play MP3 and MP4 files, tune into FM frequencies, and display images and text.