New High Data Capacity Bar Code Spec

Feb. 1, 2008
WARRENDALE, Pa.-AIM Global, the trade associationrecognized as the worldwide authority on automatic identification and mobility,today announced that the

WARRENDALE, Pa.-AIM Global, the trade associationrecognized as the worldwide authority on automatic identification and mobility,today announced that the public review draft of the International SymbologySpecification-Datastrip 2D developed by AIM Global's Technical SymbologyCommittee (TSC) is available for a 30-day public review.

Datastrip 2D is a variable-size, variable-densitytwo-dimensional symbology offering very high user data capacity at a requiredminimum level of error-correction and designed for printing on flat surfacessuch as cards and to be read under controlled circumstances such as insertionreaders.

A predecessor of Datastrip 2D was used in the 1980s tooffer machine-readable computer programs in computer magazines. The currentsymbology has been significantly upgraded and improved. It can encode text,binary and biometric data. It also includes Reed-Solomon error detection anderasure correction algorithms.

According to Richard Strempski of Datastrip,"Datastrip 2D is an ideal candidate symbology for identification documentssuch as driver's licenses and passports that require machine readable biometricdata. It is designed to be easily produced by low-cost printing technologiessuch as ink jet, laser and plastic card printers."

AIM Global president, Dan Mullen noted, "Withincreasing demands for machine-readable identity documents, Datastrip 2D offersgovernment agencies and corporate human resource departments another robustmeans of encoding data in addition to existing options. I congratulate the TSCmembers for their hard work on this groundbreaking bar code development."

The Public Review process ends March 20. Interestedreviewers can download the document for a nominal fee (AIM Global members maydownload free of charge with login), from the AIM Global website athttps://www.aimglobal.org/estore/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=580.