WalmartAP
Wal-Mart is testing a revolutionary barcode technology that could eliminate long lines at checkout registers.
The technology is called invisible watermarking, and it allows scanners to read barcodes from anywhere on a product's packaging, Mike Rogoway at The Oregonian reports.
That drastically speeds up the checkout process because employees don't have to waste time searching for the barcodes on every item they scan.
Eventually, the technology could enable shopping carts to read barcodes as items are placed inside them — eliminating the need for checkout registers altogether, according to Rogoway.
Wal-Mart CEO Doug McMillon revealed news of the digital watermarking test in an Instagram post on Monday.
"Inside Walmart’s Lab 415-C, our associates are working on some incredible innovations," reads his caption to a photo of a bag of chips getting scanned. "Technologies like invisible watermarking could transform the way our customers check out."
Following his post, shares of Digimarc, a company that has been developing digital watermarking, skyrocketed more than 13%. 
Digimarc CEO Bruce Davis confirmed to Rogoway that his company has been in talks with Wal-Mart. We reached out to Wal-Mart for comment.
Here's McMillon's post: