ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Supermarket scanner moment

Have you ever gone to the supermarket with your family and seen the cashier use a machine to scan the things you want to buy so they can tell how much it costs? This is called a supermarket scanner.

The scanner has a camera that takes a picture of a code on each item you want to buy. The code tells the scanner what the item is and how much it costs.

When the cashier scans an item, the scanner makes a beep sound and shows the name and price of the item on a screen. This helps the cashier make sure they charge you the right amount for everything you want to buy.

The scanner is really helpful because it makes shopping a lot faster and easier for everyone. Without the scanner, the cashier would have to type in the name and price of each item by hand, and that would take a really long time!