the new bar code ID feature of taptapsee

By flcomputergeek, 22 October, 2014

Forum
iOS and iPadOS

Hello. Taptapsee is a fantastic app and I use it frequently for color, currency, and object identification. I was very excited to see the addition of an automatic bar code scanning feature to taptapsee. I tried it out today, with some difficulty. I needed assistance from a sighted coworker to orient my phone exactly over a bar code on a box of protein shakes. Taptapsee spoke the bar code without me needing to take a picture, but the bar code was all that was spoken. The repeat button did not reread it, and the product was not identified. My coworker informed me that the bar code contained a few numbers that were not read by voiceover. Therefore, it seems reasonable for me to assume that taptapsee couldn't correctly identify the bar code. Here are my questions: 1. Is this feature of taptapsee designed to speak the name of the product, brand, nutritional content, or directions? 2. Are there any tips for effectively locating and identifying a bar code using taptapsee? 3. Would it be possible for the developers to enable taptapsee to play a sound different from that of the camera focus to alert the user that a bar code has been spotted by the camera? I am interested in others' experiences with the new bar code scanning feature of taptapsee.

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Comments

By TapTapSee on Friday, October 24, 2014 - 11:30

Hi flcomputergeek,

Thank you for writing about and sharing your experiences regarding our new barcode scanning feature. We are constantly trying to improve TapTapSee on a daily basis, and posts from users like you help us to do so.

Since the scanning feature is relatively new, we're still working out some kinks, but we're very excited to release further enhancements to this feature. We're currently working on ways to integrate an audible cue to notify users when a barcode has been scanned as well as integrate the Repeat button into the scanning feature.

Here are some helpful tips for using the scanner:
To ensure that you're using the barcode scanner correctly, make sure that you're in a well lit environment and that you're holding the barcode in a horizontal position to the camera (as in, make sure that the barcode reads left to right). For canned goods, it may be easier to put the can on its side. Hold the camera over the barcode. It may take a few times for the camera to focus properly, indicated by the autofocus notification. Start further away from the object and wait for the autofocus notification. If you do not hear an identification, then slowly move closer and wait for the autofocus notifications again. Move closer until you receive a result.

TapTapSee is indeed designed to speak the name of the product. However, while some barcode types are enabled by default in a scanner, many others must be manually activated in order to read. This may be why some barcodes do not produce a product identification.

We are also working on a more advanced feature that will notify a user when a bar code has been spotted by the camera.

I hope this information has helped. Again, thank you for taking the time to share your experiences. As I have said, we are actively working on improving features attached to the barcode scanner. If you or anyone else have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us at contact@taptapseeapp.com.

Best,

The TapTapSee Team