Multi-colored barcodes could store three times the data as black and white

Researchers with the Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility (AIM) say they are drafting standards for a type of two-dimensional barcode that can store up to three times as much data as conventional barcodes by encoding data in a colorful matrix of dots instead of a typical black and white pattern. The design is called JAB-Code, a tongue-in-cheek acronym for "Just-Another-Bar-Code," but supporters say it could have a big impact on applications such as embedding identity documents with unique biometric information like fingerprints or iris scans.