News

NCR intros scanner capable of reading multiple bar codes simultaneously

February 18, 2003

ATLANTA -- NCR Corporation (NYSE:NCR) has introduced the RealScan 7876 SA -- which it says is the first and only scanner capable of reading multiple bar codes simultaneously.

"The NCR RealScan 7876 SA will change retail point-of-sale scanning as we know it today," said Pierre Abboud, vice president and general manager, NCR RealScan, in a news release. "Imagine the impact on checkout productivity when cashiers can scan more than one item at the same time."

According to the release, multi-item scanning is enabled through a combination of technologies, including NCR's PACESETTER 4D software powered by an NCR-developed super ASIC (SA) platform that is built around a specially designed microchip -- an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

The PACESETTER 4D software includes a new component that "tracks" the trajectory of a bar code through time and space above the scanner's windows, according to the release. In addition, the NCR RealScan 7876 SA processes more than 18,000 scan lines per second from all sides.

NCR's scanner design team, including the company's Human Factors engineers, focused on assuring that the NCR RealScan 7876 SA is easy to learn and use. For example, an audio feedback system helps cashiers adapt to the scanner's ability to scan multiple items at once.

Scan Doctor, a self-diagnostics system with voice synthesis and multiple language capabilities, performs system "health checks" on the RealScan 7876 SA, alerting cashiers to problems and recommending remedies such as cleaning under the scale.

As with other members of the NCR scanner family, the RealScan 7876 SA reads reduced space symbology (RSS) bar codes. RSS is a new bar-code technology that can encode significant amounts of product information in a reduced amount of space. The RealScan 7876 SA is also available with a built-in scale for weighing produce or other items sold by weight.

NCR will demonstrate the RealScan 7876 SA to retailers at the Food Marketing Institute's annual technology convention, MARKETECHNICS, Feb. 23-25 in Dallas.

Volume deliveries are scheduled to begin in September.

In the meantime, the SA hardware will be incorporated in production models of the NCR RealScan 7875 beginning in April, and will be included in RealScan 7872 and single-window NCR scanners later this year.

In addition, the SA hardware is being offered as an upgrade for installed NCR RealScan 7875 and 7872 scanners.