Norman Joseph Woodland who co-created the barcode using Morse code, has died at his New Jersey, USA, home at the age of 91.

“just extended the dots and dashes downward and made narrow lines and wide lines out of them.”

Woodland worked with university classmate Bernard Silver to create the now ubiquitous thick-and-thin-line system in the 1940s. The BBC reports that the system was patented in the US in 1952, a patent that was later sold for just $15,000 (£9,300).

Barcodes Inc report that Norman Woodland used the Morse code to create the barcode when he "just extended the dots and dashes downward and made narrow lines and wide lines out of them."

Barcodes Inc - http://www.barcodesinc.com/articles/morse-code-alphabet.htm

Barcodes Turn 60 - Westlakes Amateur Radio Club newsletter - http://www.vkradio.org/pdf/Warc%20Nov%2012.pdf

BBC - Barcode co-inventor Norman Joseph Woodland dies aged 91 - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20718362