MaxiCode example. This encodes the string "Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia".
MaxiCode is a public-domain, machine-readable symbol system developed by Donald Chandler and Eric Batterman for United Parcel Service (UPS) in 1987. Designed for tracking and managing package shipments, it resembles an Aztec Code or QR code but uses dots in a hexagonal grid instead of square grid. It is standardized under ISO/IEC 16023.
A MaxiCode symbol—also called "Bird's Eye", "Target", "dense code", or "UPS code"—is a 1-inch square with a central bullseye surrounded by hexagonal dots. It stores about 93 characters, and up to 8 symbols can be linked to carry more data. The symmetrical bullseye aids in fast, accurate scanning, even on moving packages.
"The history of automatic identification - ID Systems - The Magazine of Keyless Data Entry" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-24.