A device, mobile system, and method for scanning a source of information are described. During scan operations, the scanning device is energized by an on-board supercapacitor power source and is worn upon an extremity of a user. The scanning device is operable for scanning the information source, accessing the information from the source based on the scanning, and generating a signal comprising data related to the accessed information. The generated scan data signal is transmitted for processing to a base station, which is worn remotely from the scanning device, for example on the user's belt.