▁of ▁bar ▁code ▁sc ann ers ▁used ▁by ▁ret ail ers , ▁health care ▁profession als , ▁postal ▁services ▁and ▁distribution ▁companies ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁These ▁bar ▁code ▁sc ann ers ▁util ize ▁a ▁broad ▁array ▁of ▁technology ▁including ▁las er , ▁h olog raph ic , ▁vision - based ▁and ▁radio - fre quency ▁identification ▁( R F ID ). ▁ ▁, ▁Metro logic ▁Inst ru ments ▁had ▁over ▁ 3 5 0 ▁registered ▁pat ents ▁with ▁approximately ▁another ▁ 1 3 0 ▁pat ents ▁pending . ▁ ▁Metro logic ▁world - first s ▁ 1 9 6 9 <0x09> Met ro logic ▁introdu ces ▁hel ium – ne on ▁las er ▁h ob by ▁k its ▁▁ 1 9 7 5 <0x09> Met ro logic ▁introdu ces ▁hand - h eld ▁ret ail ▁las er ▁sc anner ▁▁ 1 9 7 6 <0x09> Met ro logic ▁introdu ces ▁program m able ▁bar ▁code ▁ver ifier ▁▁ 1 9 8 2 <0x09> Met ro logic ▁introdu ces ▁hand - h eld ▁las er ▁sc anner ▁with ▁built - in ▁dec oder ▁▁ 1 9 9 0 <0x09> Met ro logic ▁introdu ces ▁trigger less ▁hand - h eld ▁las er ▁sc anner ▁▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁ <0x09> Met ro logic ▁introdu ces ▁trigger less ▁wear able ▁las er ▁sc anner ▁▁ 1 9 9 6 <0x09> Met ro logic ▁uses ▁h olog raph ic ▁technology ▁in ▁industrial ▁applications ▁▁ 2 0 0 0 <0x09> Met ro logic ▁introdu