The UPC, the most common version of the so-called bar code, wasn't as warmly embraced or as breathtaking as some emerging technologies, but its impact on retailing has been enormous.

George J. Laurer, the man who invented the Universal Product Code (UPC) barcode and called Wendell his home died on Thursday. He was 94.

Bar codes can be visually represented in a variety of ways, but the most common UPC code is a set of vertical black lines separated by white spaces with a set of numbers attached to it.