Those lines were the inspiration for the bar-code design that he and Silver ultimately patented. The bar code is one of the killer apps of the digital economy. But the UPC symbol is just a subset of a much wider world of bar codes that are used for all kinds of identification and inventory control. FedEx, UPS, and the U.S. Postal Service use proprietary bar codes to move mail and parcels. NASA uses bar codes on the back of the heat-resistant tiles of its space shuttles to make sure the right tiles get in the right places.
Researchers use tiny bar codes to track bees in and out of hives.
Even Woodland is amazed at how widespread the bar code has become. Fifty years ago, we didn't even imagine all of the ways that it would be used in the grocery store. Of course, Honda has a long history of innovation. But with the two-seater Insight, it has surpassed even its own extensive track record. The Insight uses its own braking motion to create power and recharge the battery, eliminating the need to plug it into any outside power source.