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by gumby 708 days ago
A program that parses an arbitrary shelf label and then displays a large-print normalized representation (like the nutrition label) would be valuable.
4 comments

This is idea behind GS1 Digital Link [0], basically QR codes to replace barcodes. The QR code will contain a URL which when scanned provides product information to the consumer.

The format of the URL is defined by the standard, so it can contain the EAN for the POS as well as additional data such as expiry date. Almost all 'barcode' scanners in use today can read QR codes so it just needs a software change on the POS.

https://digital-link.com/gs1-digital-link/

An important part of my suggestion was the normalized output, not the advertising data the mfr provides.

The nutrition labels are pretty good (though sometimes the serving size is bogus — that should be normalized by the program). Also the unit cost (price per oz or whatever) is manipulated by the seller or mfr, and that should be usefully normalized too.

Like Firefox's Reader View for real life.
can i please also have ublock for real life, i am so tired of outdoor advertising, it's basically the only place i see ads now
Imho this is going to be the killer app for Vision headset type devices when they get cheap and available: An AI powered uBlock Origin that can recognize logos and advertising and blank them out.
vandalism as a service
i live in houston which was just hit by a hurricane - one of the upsides being most of the billboards have been shredded, which is a nice improvement over mind polluting ads

thanks hurricane beryl

The ban* on billboards on Interstate highways was thanks to a famous Texan, Lady Bird Johnson.

* The few you do still see today are legacy billboards that date from when the legislation was passed, around 1965.

Exactly.
The Yuka app can scan the barcode and shows whether the food or cosmetic you scanned is good for you or not.

https://yuka.io/en/

that is an awesome idea.