Barcode Scanning For The Masses
AURA: Advanced User Resource Annotation. Their motto appears to be ‘Annotate the Planet’.
It’s a Microsoft Research prototype feature designed for Windows Mobile devices to resolve barcodes for the purposes of description lookup (what is the item), actioning (what to do with the item), and batch uploading (how to persist items on a web site). These 3 types of item resolution are collectively called Resolution Services. MSR has a developer doc here (word format) that defines the resolver schema and explains how to implement the resolver service.
A.U.R.A. requires close, focused pictures of barcodes to convert the image into a decoded string. Many Windows Mobile devices have cameras that cannot focus at the close distances required by A.U.R.A. To work around this you can apply an A.U.R.A. Lens Kit to your phone and MSR will send a lens kit to anyone who sends a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
Project A.U.R.A. Lens Kit Request
Microsoft Research, Community Technologies Group
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052
United States of America
For more details:
