Cognex Corporation has upgraded its line of DataMan® 8000 series industrial handheld barcode readers with a major performance boost to both reading robustness and speed. The already powerful handheld readers are now equipped with proprietary Cognex Hotbars™ image-analysis technology for the fastest 1-D barcode reading performance and Cognex 2DMax+™ algorithm for unmatched decoding of 2-D printed and DPM matrix codes. The new features also include a rapid dual-focus image acquisition routine which enables the readers to decode a wide range of barcode sizes even faster. “The DataMan 8000 series was a true breakthrough for industrial handheld readers when it was released in 2010,” said Carl Gerst, Business Unit Manager for ID Products. “However, at Cognex, we strive for excellence and are always looking for ways to break new ground in technology. With the addition of Hotbars, 2DMax+, and faster focusing capability, the DataMan 8000 series is the most powerful and reliable industrial handheld reader available.” The DataMan 8000 series is designed for the factory floor and offers the most advanced code reading technology. Easily read the most challenging 1-D barcodes. 1DMax+™ with Hotbars enables the DataMan 8000 series to read the most challenging 1-D barcodes quickly and easily even when those barcodes are damaged, blurred, at extreme perspective, or otherwise challenging. The DataMan 8000 series now utilizes the powerful 2DMax+ algorithm, which has the fastest decode times and is effective even on codes with perspective distortion, low contrast, or finder and clocking pattern damage. The DataMan 8000 series now allows the user to select the type of code to be read (from easy to extremely challenging). This is especially useful for increasing reading speeds when only printed or high-contrast codes are being read or when facing the most challenging DPM codes that cannot be read with standard settings. The DataMan 8000 series is now equipped with patented auto-exposure algorithms and faster image acquisition and liquid lens performance. The faster imaging means readers can now be used in a dual focus mode, which allows users to increase the depth of field or to read a wide range of barcode sizes, from very large multi-inch barcodes to tiny 5 mil 2-D Data Matrix codes.