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Scientists Design Barcode System For Zebras

Posted by samzenpus on from the arranging-your-stripes dept.

A team of biologists and computer scientists has come up with a unique barcode-like system for tracking zebras called Stripespotter. The system is able to automatically identify zebras from pictures with a much higher accuracy than traditional methods. Its creators say it can be modified to track any animal with unique coat patterns such as giraffes or tigers.

11 of 58 comments (clear)

  1. It'll never work by spartacus_prime · · Score: 3, Funny

    They ALREADY look like bar codes.

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    1. Re:It'll never work by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

      And they are too heavy to move up on the checkout counter in a back-and-forth motion.

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    2. Re:It'll never work by WrongSizeGlass · · Score: 3, Funny

      OK, there's a new addition on my list of "Jobs I don't ever want to have": I don't want to be the guy who has to lift up a Zebra's tail to verify his check digit.

  2. So now by JackpotMonkey · · Score: 2

    You really can tell a Zebra by its stripes? Or is that tigers...

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  3. University of Illinois at Chicago by Lord+Byron+II · · Score: 4, Informative

    The article didn't say who did the research, but I'm pretty sure that this was done by the CS department at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). I've seen some "zebra barcode" images up on their campus. Here's the link to their "Images of Research" page (along with a picture of the zebras:

    http://grad.uic.edu/cms/?pid=1000950

    1. Re:University of Illinois at Chicago by JackpotMonkey · · Score: 3, Funny

      This may be the first time in the history of slashdot where a link to pictures of animals wasn't a trap

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      ______ Eagles may fly but monkeys don't get sucked into jet engines.
    2. Re:University of Illinois at Chicago by ub3r+n3u7r4l1st · · Score: 2

      I work in the Computer Vision and Robotics Lab (CVRL) where our office completely encapsulates the CompBio lab which published this. They only occupied a room smaller than a typical kitchen and only have a handful of people in it, but the stuff they pull off so far is amazing.

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  4. Re:Oh this totally sucks by JackpotMonkey · · Score: 2

    Ah but think of how much money you will save on latex gloves now.

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    ______ Eagles may fly but monkeys don't get sucked into jet engines.
  5. ...zeebas are the mark of the Beast by dogsbreath · · Score: 2

    .. if you look carefully you will see that all zeebas have the UPC 666.

  6. Stage 2 of this project: by Dedokta · · Score: 2

    Genetically modify Zebras to have QR codes instead of stripes.

  7. More than you know... by DG · · Score: 3, Funny

    On a whim, I pointed my BlackBerry with ScanLife (one of those square barcode reader apps) at the picture of the zebras in the article, and got redirected to a Groupon for discount rates on an African safari.

    Man, *everybody* has sold out.

    DG

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