These aren't used on products you buy in a store, though, because all the bar code needs to contain for a product sold in the US is a single 12-digit number, called the Universal Product Code (UPC).

Laurer was an electrical engineer with IBM in the early 1970s when he spearheaded the development of the UPC, or bar code, which helped retailers reduce pricing errors and keep track of inventory.

The black bars and 12-digit numbers transformed retail industries around the world. RALEIGH, N.C ... Click the video player above to see Laurer and UPC codes in action.

UPC stands for universal product code. It’s a 12-digit code that’s printed on the packaging of a product, and everything on the shelves has a unique UPC to help ...