# S4E48 Paul McEnroe | Inventing the Barcode (UPC) & Scanner

- Show: [Being an Engineer](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer)
- Published: 2023-12-15
- Length: 58m
- Episode: 48
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-12-15-s4e48-paul-mcenroe-inventing-the-barcode-upc-scanner
- Listen: https://teampipeline.us/Paul-McEnroe-barcode/

## Summary

Paul McEnroe, the primary inventor of the Universal Product Code (UPC) and the handheld barcode scanner, discusses the history and engineering behind the technology. He explains how IBM's internal 'pseudo-startup' in Silicon Valley addressed retail inventory and checkout speed issues by developing a reliable optical scanning system using helium-neon lasers. McEnroe details the specific engineering challenge of ink variance in low-cost store printers and how his team's error-canceling measurement technique allowed the UPC to win against competitors like the Bull's-Eye code. He also describes the political maneuvering required to get the code selected by the Supermarket Institute without triggering backlash against IBM's dominance.

## Chapters

- [1:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-12-15-s4e48-paul-mcenroe-inventing-the-barcode-upc-scanner#t=78) Introduction and Engineering Career Path
- [5:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-12-15-s4e48-paul-mcenroe-inventing-the-barcode-upc-scanner#t=300) The Value of Debate and Business Education
- [16:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-12-15-s4e48-paul-mcenroe-inventing-the-barcode-upc-scanner#t=970) IBM's Pseudo-Startup and Retail Problem Identification
- [29:44](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-12-15-s4e48-paul-mcenroe-inventing-the-barcode-upc-scanner#t=1784) Engineering the UPC: Laser Scanning and Error Correction
- [46:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-12-15-s4e48-paul-mcenroe-inventing-the-barcode-upc-scanner#t=2767) Code Selection Politics and the Bull's-Eye Competitor
- [52:58](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2023-12-15-s4e48-paul-mcenroe-inventing-the-barcode-upc-scanner#t=3178) GS1 Code Management and Engineering Philosophy

## Topics

- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- UPC (product)
- IBM (company)
- Helium-neon laser (chip)
- Bull's-Eye code (product)
- NCR (company)
- McKenzie (company)
- Patel (company)
- Supermarket Institute (company)
- GS1 (company)
- QR code (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [189: The Power of Your Team in Building Hardware Innovations](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-08-18-189-the-power-of-your-team-in-building-hardware-innovations) (Product Startup)
- [Square: Jim McKelvey. He Lost a $2,000 Sale, Then Built a $10 Billion Company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-02-23-square-jim-mckelvey-he-lost-a-2-000-sale-then-built-a-10-billion-company) (How I Built This)
- [Compaq Computers: Rod Canion](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-05-22-compaq-computers-rod-canion) (How I Built This)
- [349 - Why all your UPC barcodes might be going away soon! Ned Mears from GS1](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-05-18-349-why-all-your-upc-barcodes-might-be-going-away-soon-ned-mears-from-gs1) (People of Packaging)
- [Tune in for Season 3 of Moore's Lobby](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/moores-lobby/2021-08-19-tune-in-for-season-3-of-moores-lobby) (Moore's Lobby)

## Citing this page

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