1. Image demonstrating the increased information density that can be obtained using 2-dimensional (2-D) bar codes over 1-dimensional (1-D) bar codes and demonstrating that minor damage to a 2-D bar code can be compensated for by the remaining portion of the bar code.
Image demonstrating the increased information density that can be obtained using 2-dimensional (2-D) bar codes over 1-dimensional (1-D) bar codes and demonstrating that minor damage to a 2-D bar code can be compensated for by the remaining portion of the bar code. Bar codes use solid lines (1-D bar codes) or blocks (2-D bar codes) in combination with intervening spaces to encode data, which can be translated to text via a bar code scanner and its software. The words “Staphylococcus aureus” are depicted in a 1-D bar code using Code 128 symbology (A) and a 2-D bar code using DataMatrix symbology (B). These symbologies are commonly used to label specimens in clinical laboratories, although numerous bar code formats are available. 2-D bar codes are becoming the preferred symbology because of their smaller footprint and robust error correction. For example, even if part of the bar code is slightly damaged (C), the integrity of the information remains intact and can be read accurately. Bar codes can also be used to enter microbiology results or comments into an LIS, and the use of bar codes can help to decrease typographical errors and standardize results reporting.
Daniel D. Rhoads et al. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 2014; doi: /CMR