Smart Tracking System for Packaged Product

Using Barcode
1st Joyce Mathews
Student, Computer Science and
Engineering
Vemana Institute of Technology
Bengaluru, India
caspermat48@gmail.com
2nd Vijayashree H P
Asst. Professor, Computer Science
and Engineering
Vemana Institute of Technology
Bengaluru, India
vijayashree.hp@vemanait.edu.in
3rd Akshatha M C
Student, Computer Science and
Engineering
Vemana Institute of Technology
Bengaluru, India
mcakshatha1@gmail.com

4th Ankitha B R 5th Karthik V

Student, Computer Science and
Engineering
Vemana Institute of Technology
Bengaluru, India
ankithareddy2310@gmail.com
Student, Computer Science and
Engineering
Vemana Institute of Technology
Bengaluru, India
vkarthik15.k@gmail.com
Abstract— Smart Tracking System for Packaged Product finds
out the available stock of items using barcodes such as soaps,
detergents, snacks packets and other packaged items. Each time
an item is added or removed, the barcode needs to be scanned to
update the inventory database. A threshold level is set for the
count of the items such that when the available stock goes below
the threshold the system sends a notification to the user through
the app. The system waits for the user’s response (via app) on
whether to place an order for that item or not. If the user replies
‘Yes’, then it places an order for that item to a designated store
through the app. If the system does not get a command from the
user, restocking for that item is paused. It updates the database
for the product only after the item is replenished by the user. The
barcodes with expiry date information are attached on the items.
The system can periodically check this information to alert users
when items are reaching their expiration dates. The main goal is
to avoid the wastage of the products and to keep track of them
which helps in easy maintenance of the grocery list.
Keywords— IoT, AWS Cloud, Tracking, Barcode, Threshold,
Expiry, Grocery.
I. INTRODUCTION
The 21st century food sector faces a significant challenge: food
spoilage and waste. Traditional inventory management,
particularly for packaged goods, struggles with inherent
limitations. Manual processes like counting and record-
keeping are error-prone, leading to inaccurate stock levels and
inefficiencies. Time spent on these tasks slows down
operations, hindering responsiveness. Furthermore, the lack of
real-time data across locations creates blind spots, making it
difficult to optimize inventory and prevent stockouts or costly
overstocking. Accurately forecasting demand is another
hurdle, potentially leading to insufficient stock or excessive
inventory that ties up valuable space and resources. Finally,
manual systems offer less protection against theft or misplaced
inventory.
These limitations highlight the need for a more efficient and
accurate solution for packaged product inventory
management. The Smart Packaged Product Tracking System
offers a comprehensive solution for efficient inventory
management and waste reduction, not just in households, but
across the entire food supply chain. The system utilizes
barcodes and real-time updates to ensure accurate tracking of
items. Users receive timely notifications when stock levels fall
below set thresholds, enabling them to make informed
decisions about restocking and preventing unnecessary waste.
The app's user interaction allows for seamless decision-
making for restocking, further minimizing waste.
Additionally, the system enhances user convenience by
automating the ordering process with designated stores,
streamlining the replenishment of items. The inclusion of
expiry date tracking adds another layer of value, proactively
alerting users to items nearing expiration and minimizing the
likelihood of expired products being overlooked.
The real power of the Smart Packaged Product Tracking
System lies in its scalability and potential to be implemented
across various sectors within the food industry. Grocery stores
and warehouses can employ the system to optimize ordering,
minimize spoilage, and reduce out-of-stock situations. Real-
time inventory data allows for better planning, leading to
happier customers, less waste, and increased profitability.
Restaurants and food service providers can leverage the system is finished and can be viewed through dedicated web
to track not only packaged goods but also ingredients with application. The main limitation is Camera could be covered
expiry dates. This ensures proper stock rotation, prevents costly with fog due to cooling and Image processing techniques are not
waste due to spoilage, and minimizes the risk of serving expired
food, ultimately safeguarding public health and brand
reputation. Food banks and donation centers can utilize the
system to track donations and identify expiring items before they
spoil. This allows for efficient distribution of usable food to
those in need, maximizing the impact of their efforts and
ensuring that valuable resources reach the intended recipients.
The impact of the Smart Packaged Product Tracking System
extends beyond individual businesses. By implementing this
system across the entire food supply chain, from farms to
consumers, significant reductions in food waste can be achieved.
This translates to a more sustainable food system, with reduced
environmental impact. Food production and disposal are
resource-intensive processes, and minimizing food waste
conserves precious water, land, and energy. Additionally, a more
efficient food system with less waste can potentially lead to
lower food prices for everyone.
The beauty of the Smart Packaged Product Tracking System lies
in its core functionalities – barcode scanning, real-time data, and
user notifications – which can be adapted to various applications
within the food sector. This scalability positions the system as a
powerful tool for creating a more responsible approach to food
management on a global scale. By leveraging advancements in
technology and promoting real-time data management, the Smart
Packaged Product Tracking System has the potential to
revolutionize the food industry, fostering a future with less waste,
greater efficiency, and a more sustainable food system for all.
II. RELATED WORK
[1] IoT based smart inventory management system contains
Weight sensors to detect the reducing weight of groceries. The
sensors are arranged in such a way that, when the compartment
is full the LDRs will get no light from LED and give 000 value
and when it is empty it will give 111 values. Order is placed
directly when quantity is low. It provides high efficiency and
convenience along with the features of online automatic
ordering, expenditure Tracing and order tracing. User is
reminded of grocery status so that user can order groceries before
finishing the existing groceries. It contains limitations such as
filling the containers with products each time is time consuming.
[2] This project is an attempt to provide the advantages of online
shopping to customers of a real shop. It helps buying the products
in the shop anywhere through internet by using an android
device. The main objective is to provide better interaction
features on grocery websites that could improve sales over the
internet. System design has two phases of development, one is
logical design that contains inputs that is sources, outputs that is
destinations, databases that is data sources and procedures that
are data flows and the last phase is physical design or coding.
The limitation is Quality of the products cannot be ensured with
online shopping.
Comprehensively [3] The Smart Refrigerator contains only three
cameras and minimal wires. The system uses RaspberryPI and
NodeMCU,uses deep learning to monitor if the number of eggs
available is sufficient using image processing and convolutional
network, These contains receiving module, refrigerator, cabinet
such as load cell sensors to measure the weights , and data
storage module. The main objective is to reduce food wastage
and the system places an automatic online order with the
permission of user to replenish the finished food items when it
highly accurate. [4] The Grocery management system will
display all the things whose name starts with the letter selected
by the user. He can select out of those displayed. Admin
provides a singular username and password for every worker.
The system consists of 3 users: Admin who manages employee,
category, suppliers, items and view bill whereas employee
searches and adds items to bill as per customer requirement and
customer can add the products and the database is updated. The
project is based on sales transaction and billing of items in
grocery stores. The drawback is Admin, Employee, and
Customer, cannot use the system simultaneously.
[5] Algorithms studied in this paper are Apriori Algorithm
helps in finding frequent item sets in а dаtаset and Maxminer
Algorithm helps in finding the frequent mаximаl itemsets and
Support Vector Machine used for Classification of problem,
and Random Forest Algorithm used as Method for
Classification and Regression. It’s a simple mobile application
for creating and tracking the monthly consumption of grocery
products, engaging а grocery list collaboratively. It
Recommends the items based on the user’s previous purchase
history and by analyzing the proper requirement of the
consumer and suggesting the products accordingly is the main
goal of the paper. The limitation is it provides Unnecessary
suggestions which can irritate the user. [6] The smart
refrigerator using IoT and android uses it uses GSM SIM 900A
Module to send the notification to customer and to place order
for food items and to create an virtual interactive environment
between it and the user and when the items are finished it waits
for response whether to order or not. The Ultrasonic sensor are
used to count the number of eggs these sensors sends out a
sound wave at a specific frequency and waits for that sound
wave to bounce back for eggs and the Photo Coupler or Opto
Coupler are used to measure the amt of milk. For milk, when
the transmitter emits radiation, a part of the radiation reflects
from the object if it is present within the range specified to the
IR receiver. The drawback is Ultrasonic and infrared sensors
stop working due to extreme temperatures in refrigerators.
Sensors will not work in bottles of different shapes.
Frequency Identification uses SMART Radio Frequency
Identification tags.The RFID tags attached to a bottle using an
electronic device. These SMART tags will remove the need for
a local database, as information is stored onto the physical tag
,to upgrade the manufacturing industry to Industry 4.0 standards
that is combination of physical technology and cyber technology
,This reduceTime to market (ttm), the drawback is Quality
Control Check cannot be done.[10] While adding a new product,
user scans RFID tag if available against RFID scanner. The
distance sensor triggers the camera as soon as the door is opened
or closed by the user. With this, an inside image of fridge is
captured to detect the current list of products using image
recognition mechanism .The details associated with RFID and
the list of detected products is synchronized and communicated
to Google Firebase using wifi connection. The data from load
sensors is also shared with Google Firebase’s database on
subsequent opening and closing of door. Load sensors will keep
track of weight of products remaining in the fridge. As soon as
the product weight goes below the user specified threshold, user
gets a notification on mobile phone running an android
application. The gas sensor measures the concentration of
ethylene gas released by ripening food. Gas sensor program will
keep on running in the background in order to detect and prevent
food spoilage as soon as possible. The current gas concentration
can be checked on mobile device at any given time. The
drawback is camera may not capture the images properly due to
mist in the refrigerator.
III. PROPOSED METHODOLOGY

Comprehensively [7] Light Dependent Resistors (LDR)

sensors, IR sensor, smoke sensor and pressure sensor are placed
along a counter which can be used to sense the quality and
quantity of contents. These sensors are fitted in Refrigerator
compartments, which sense objects, shelf life and quantity of
objects and if no object is found, they produce “No Object”
signal or “No Quantity” signal which is fed to further stage.
They can be used to detect the milk and soft drinks containers
and to sense the presence of vegetables in the refrigerator.
Whenever the contents inside the refrigerator goes below the
predetermined threshold values are degraded in quality, or if
the product is on the verge of expiry, a trigger is generated
which is being transmitted in the form of message to the user
on the android app. With the permission of the user, an email
will be sent to the vendor regarding the purchase order The
drawback is sensors may stop working due to high cold
temperature. [8] This paper focuses on using RFID for items
tracking and management within smart fridges. Namely the
inventory module contains Search, Scan and Alert features ,
and recommendation module contains order feature and recipe
suggestion feature. This provides users in real time manner a
list of all remaining goods in the refrigerator. Smart Fridge is
able to inform them to take specific food which is good for their
health, Smart Fridge capable of predicting the next shopping Fig. 1:Proposed System Architecture
items list automatically based on several factors and reduce the
electricity bill through exploiting load shifting property. [9] The system architecture methodology as shown in Fig 1 is a
The Wireless SMART Product Tracking using Radio systematic approach crucial for designing the structure and
organization of a system. This process involves breaking down within the system, retrieving product details, updating the user's
the entire system into smaller, more manageable components inventory list, and potentially prompting restocking or expiry
or modules, with each component representing a distinct notifications. In essence, the barcode scanner acts as a translator,
functionality or feature. The objective is to create a bridging the gap between the physical world of packaged goods
comprehensive understanding of the system's internal and the digital world of intelligent inventory management.
workings. The interaction is defined in terms of data flow,
control flow, and communication mechanisms between
components. This specification ensures that the components
work together seamlessly to achieve the system's objectives. It
provides a roadmap for the flow of information and control
throughout the system. The flowchart outlines a detailed
process involving barcode scanning, database interaction,
product management, and user notifications within an app.

Fig 3:Barcode Scanner

B. ARDUINO UNO

The Arduino Uno, as shown in Fig 4, while not the only

microcontroller option for this Smart Packaged Product
Tracking System, offers a familiar and accessible starting point
for those comfortable with its functionalities. It excels in core
tasks like processing barcode data scanned from your groceries.
Fig. 2: Data Flow Diagram However, the Uno's missing Wi-Fi capability means it can't
directly connect to the AWS Cloud for data storage and
As shown in Fig 2 ,the system orchestrates a seamless flow of communication. To bridge this gap, a smartphone app with
data to empower users and optimize inventory management. Bluetooth or USB connectivity. This app would act as an
The journey begins with a user scanning a product's barcode. intermediary, receiving data from the Arduino Uno and then
This information travels to a cloud-based database, where it relaying it to the AWS Cloud for storage and analysis. Despite
unlocks the product's details like expiry date and brand. this additional step, the Arduino Uno's strength lies in its ability
Simultaneously, the user's app retrieves this data, updating the to simplify prototyping and handle essential functionalities
product list and reflecting changes in quantity. User interaction during the initial development stages. It's a great choice for
plays a crucial role here. They can set reorder thresholds and those looking for a familiar and approachable platform to build
opt for expiry notifications. The app analyzes this data and the core functionalities of their smart tracking system.
triggers alerts – a gentle nudge to restock when quantities dip
or a timely warning about nearing expiry dates. Armed with
this information, the user decides on a restocking strategy. The
app offers the convenience of direct in-app ordering from
partnered stores, streamlining the process. Alternatively, users
can choose manual purchase from any store. If they choose the
in-app option, the app transmits the order details to the store,
completing the restocking cycle. This continuous data
exchange empowers users with real-time inventory visibility,
expiry monitoring, and restocking options, ultimately
contributing to a more responsible and sustainable food system.

A. BARCODE SCANNER

The barcode scanner as shown in Fig 3 acts as the system's

entry point, initiating the data flow. It uses a light source, like
a laser, to illuminate the product's barcode. This seemingly
simple black and white pattern is a language the scanner can
understand. By detecting the reflected light patterns, the
scanner translates the barcode into a digital signal. But this isn't Fig 4:Barcode Scanner
gibberish - a built-in decoder interprets the signal based on the
barcode format, converting it into a readable product identifier.
Finally, the scanner transmits this information, along with any
additional details encoded in the barcode, wirelessly to the C. ESP8266 WiFi Sensor
user's app. This seemingly simple scan triggers a chain reaction
.The ESP8266 WiFi sensor shown in Fig 5, this sensor module
is integrated into the system to enable wireless communication,
allowing data collected from barcode scanner to be transmitted
to a central processing unit. The ESP8266's low-cost, low-
power consumption, and built-in WiFi capabilities make it an
ideal choice for IoT applications. The data received from the
ESP8266 sensor can be analyzed in real-time to assess the
freshness of food products. This integration facilitates early
detection of spoilage or contamination events, enabling timely
intervention to maintain food quality and safety standards
throughout the supply chain. Overall, the ESP8266 WiFi sensor
enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of freshness
detection systems by providing seamless connectivity and real-
time data transmission capabilities.
Fig 5: ESP8266 Wifi Sensor
D. USB HOST
This project can leverage a USB Host shield as shown in Fig
6,connected to the ESP8266 to enable barcode scanner
integration. This shield acts as a translator, allowing the
ESP8266 to communicate with the barcode scanner. When the
user scans a product, the scanner transmits the decoded barcode
data (typically a product identifier) through a USB cable to the
shield. The USB Host shield then facilitates communication
with the ESP8266, essentially feeding it the scanned
information. The ESP8266 can then process this data,
potentially retrieving product details from a cloud database or
updating the user's app, ultimately enabling real-time inventory
management even with a wired barcode scanner. This approach
offers flexibility in scanner choice and potentially allows for
some offline functionality if the ESP8266 has local storage
capabilities. However, it adds hardware complexity and might
increase power consumption compared to a purely wireless
solution.
Fig 6: USB Host Shield
E. AWS CLOUD
The system leverages AWS Cloud as in Fig 7, as its powerful
backend, ensuring secure data storage and seamless
functionality. The process begins with a user scanning a
product's barcode. The decoded data, typically a product
identifier, travels from the scanner to the ESP8266 board. This
board acts as a bridge, securely connecting to AWS via Wi-Fi.
The product ID is then delivered to a designated entry point
within AWS called API Gateway. Here, a pre-programmed
function known as a Lambda function springs into action. This
function retrieves the corresponding product details from your
cloud database, likely Amazon DynamoDB, using the received
ID. Additionally, the Lambda function can update user
inventory or trigger notifications for low stock, or expiring items
based on user preferences, all within the secure confines of
AWS. With the mobile app included, it can also connect to AWS
to access product information, user data, and potentially interact
with Lambda functions for tasks like restocking or managing
preferences. The true strength of AWS Cloud lies in its
scalability – it adapts to a growing user base. It also prioritizes
reliability with robust data security. Finally, serverless options
like Lambda functions simplify development and maintenance.
Fig 7: AWS Cloud
F. USER APP
The user application as shown in Fig 8 serves as the central hub
for managing inventory within the Smart Packaged Product
Tracking System. A user-friendly interface featuring a bottom
navigation bar with clear icons allows for easy access to four
key functionalities: Home, Inventory, Expiry, and Profile. The
Home page acts as the main dashboard, displaying categorized
product lists based on their expiry: "Good Products" (more than
30 days to expiry), "Expiring Soon" (less than 15 days), and
"Expiring This Week" (within 8 days). This instant overview
keeps users informed about the overall health of their inventory.
For in-depth management, the Inventory page allows users to
search for unexpired items and displays a comprehensive list
for easy tracking. Similarly, the Expiry page focuses on expired
products, allowing users to search for specific items and view a
complete list.
The Profile page provides user information management
functionalities. It displays user details and group affiliation (if
applicable). Users can view group details and, if they are the
admin (who created the group), they can add new members by
email or phone number, with a maximum of 5 members per
group. New user registration is handled through a dedicated
page, while existing users can simply log in and remain signed
in for convenient access. The app also provides a "Forgot
Password" option for password recovery. In essence, the user
app empowers users with real-time inventory insights through
clear categorization, search functionality, and stock alerts. It
fosters collaboration through user groups and promotes a
sustainable food system by minimizing food waste through
informed management.
 Fig 8: User Application
G. GROCERY APPLICATION
The grocery app as shown in Fig 9, within the system functions
as a complete online marketplace for browsing, selecting, and
ordering groceries. The Home page acts as a digital storefront,
showcasing popular seasonal items, new arrivals, and special
promotions to capture user attention and encourage exploration
of the product selection. The Offer page highlights exclusive
deals on popular products, incentivizing users with discounts.
Additionally, rotating weekly specials across various
categories encourage frequent visits for new bargains. The New
Products and Popular Products sections highlight recently
added or trending items. Users can view product details for
informed choices, including descriptions, estimated delivery
times, and weights. Importantly, users can directly add desired
items to their shopping cart from these sections for a
streamlined experience.
The Category Page offers a comprehensive overview of all
available product categories, displayed for easy browsing. The
number of products within each category gives users a sense of
the range and variety offered. Users can navigate deeper by
clicking on a specific category to view individual products with
the option to add them directly to the cart. The My Order page
keeps users informed about past purchases. It displays a list of
all previous orders with details like date, order number,
purchased items, total amount, and status. Users can click on
individual orders for a more detailed view, including itemized
lists, delivery addresses, and payment details. The My Cart
page acts as a virtual shopping basket. It displays a list of all
added items, including product names, quantities, and prices.
This allows users to review their selections, adjust quantities,
or remove unwanted items before checkout. Finally, a clear
"Checkout" button allows users to proceed and complete their
grocery purchase. By incorporating these functionalities, the
grocery app offers a user-friendly and feature-rich platform for
convenient online grocery shopping.
Fig 9: Grocery Application
IV.EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
The experimental setup for this smart packaged product tracking
system involves several steps:
1. Hardware Assembly: First, you'll need to physically
connect the various components including the Arduino
Uno microcontroller, ESP8266 Wi-Fi board, barcode
scanner (wired or wireless), and a USB Host Shield (if
using a wired scanner)
2. Firmware Development: The ESP8266 needs to be
programmed with specific functionalities. This
program will tell the board how to process barcode
data, connect to Wi-Fi, and communicate with cloud
services on AWS.
3. Cloud Configuration: An AWS account needs to be
set up. Within this cloud platform, a database table on
DynamoDB will be created to store information.
Additionally, Lambda functions will be configured to
handle tasks like retrieving data, updating inventory
based on scans, and potentially sending notifications to
users.
4. Mobile App Development: The user interface of the
mobile app needs to be built. This app will allow users
to manage their inventory, see product information,
and securely communicate with AWS services to
connect with their grocery store.
5. Integration and Testing: Once all the individual
components are built (hardware assembly, firmware,
cloud configuration, mobile app), they need to be
integrated to function as a whole system. This involves
thorough testing to ensure the entire process works
smoothly. Barcode scans should be transmitted to the
cloud, data should be retrieved by the app, and any
notification functionalities should work as expected.
This setup can be used to evaluate the system's functionality,
efficiency, and user experience before potential real-world
deployment.
V.RESULTS
Fig 10: Hardware setup
Arduino UNO, USB Host Shield and ESP8266 WiFi Sensor
are connected to each other to the Barcode Scanner as shown
in Fig 10. The data can be scanned via the Barcode Scanner
and the data is sent to the Arduino Uno board. The Wifi Senor
enable this data to be sent to the cloud.
Fig 11: Scanning of Barcode
Barcode is scanned via the barcode scanner as shown in Fig
11, and this data is uploaded to the user app and the scanned
barcode is seen in the NetBeans output display with #0.
VI.CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the system offers a comprehensive solution for
efficient inventory management and waste reduction in
households. By utilizing barcodes and real-time updates, the
system ensures accurate tracking of items, prompting timely
notifications to users when stock levels fall below set
thresholds. The incorporation of user interaction through the
app enables a seamless decision-making process for restocking,
preventing unnecessary waste. Furthermore, the system
enhances user convenience by automating the ordering process
with designated stores, streamlining the replenishment of items.
The inclusion of expiry date tracking adds an additional layer of
value, proactively alerting users to items nearing expiration and
minimizing the likelihood of expired products being
overlooked.
Ultimately, the project contributes to the overarching goal of
minimizing product wastage, simplifying grocery list
maintenance, and fostering a more sustainable and organized
approach to household inventory management. The Smart
Packaged Product Tracking System stands as an innovative and
user-friendly solution to address the challenges associated with
product expiration and stock depletion in everyday household
setting.
VII.FUTURE SCOPE
In seamless integration with smart refrigerators or pantry
sensors, providing real-time stock levels and eliminating manual
scanning. Voice assistants could be integrated for hands-free
product addition to shopping lists or inventory updates,
streamlining the grocery shopping experience. Partnering with
local farmers' markets or promoting organic produce could
enhance the app's appeal to environmentally conscious users.
The grocery app could even connect with food banks or
composting services to find responsible solutions for soon-to-
expire items. In a recipe recommendation engine that suggests
delicious meals based on your current inventory. The app could
also evolve into a community forum for sharing recipes, meal
planning tips, and creating a collaborative approach to food
management, reducing waste and promoting resourcefulness.
By exploring these advancements, the Smart Packaged Product
Tracking System can transform into a comprehensive platform
for intelligent food management, minimized waste, and a more
sustainable food ecosystem, all while incorporating features like
recipe recommendations to inspire culinary creativity and
reduce food waste even further.
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