In an article by Dougal Shaw at BBC News, a new, colorful barcode technology is being adopted for the first time in food packaging in the UK. NaviLens, a Spanish firm, says this new technology aims to help blind and partially-sighted people identify products in shops, and access health and safety information about food.

Normal barcodes, or QR codes, can be challenging for blind and partially-sighted people, because it takes a lot of dexterity to focus and frame them correctly, at close range, on a phone's camera. The graphic on the right shows a comparison of conventional black-and-white barcodes on the left and the new colored barcodes on the right.

Cereal manufacturer Kellogg's has been testing out these colorful barcodes on its packaging that mobile phone cameras using an app can easily detect at a distance of up to three meters, and in low-light conditions. All Kellogg's cereal packets will eventually display the code, starting with Special K cereal in January.

Because the NaviLens digital codes can trigger audio notes, the amount of information that can be conveyed is potentially limitless. In addition to allergy warnings - like traces of nuts and the presence of gluten - the full range of information about ingredients, like fat and glucose composition, for example, can also be offered.

For now, those who download the NaviLens app will find it only helps them fill a small but important part of their shopping basket - breakfast. Hopefully this new NaviLens technology for barcodes will catch on with other food and product manufacturers to provide widespread shopping assistance for individuals living with limited vision.

Thank you,

Richard Acree

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Richard Acree at ADA Inspections Nationwide, LLC, is a CAPS consultant for home modifications serving most of the United States. Richard has significant education in the disciplines of engineering, building inspections and business management.  His education includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and a Masters of Science degree in Business Administration.  From 2005 through 2017 Richard owned and operated a business as a licensed home inspector, a commercial building inspector (CBI), radon measurement technician, and certified mold assessor (CMA).  As a commercial building inspector Richard completed numerous ADA Inspections on many different types of commercial buildings.  His engineering experience includes project design, plans and specification reviews, and marketing management. This experience, training and education provides aging in place clients and Health Care Case Managers with a uniquely qualified consultant to help with home modifications based on the principles of the ADA and FHA guides.

Please contact Richard at 615-752-0060, or email inspections4ada@gmail.com, to discuss your needs for CAPS services. For additional information about these services, please see the link at Residential Accessibility Consultant.

Thank you.