Bar CodesIBMJoseph WoodlandJoseph Woodland, inventor of the barcode, dies at 91Nathaniel WattenmakerSunday, December 16, 2012 - 7:54am Norman Joseph Woodland, who died on Sunday at the age of 91, invented something that was used five billion times today alone. In fact, you probably have one (or lots) within arm's reach right now: the bar code.