You may have seen these strange pixellated squares at a recent academic conference on a a poster presentation, or perhaps on printed media and wondered what they are. Well, they are QR codes. Great… what’s QR code? Read on… QR codes are essentially the hybridization of barcodes and hyperlinks (website address).
QR stands for Quick Response. QR is actually a trademarked version of matrix barcodes (AKA 2D barcodes) for designed for the automobile industry in Japan (a subsidToyota) as a machine readable label that revealed information when scanned. The image encodes any type of data – pictures, words, characters etc,. They are able to be read quickly (hence the name) and can encode/store more data than a traditional UPC barcode. The black square dots are arranged on a white background in a unique pattern that is then read by an imaging device (the camera on your cell phone) which then is processed using a designated application that interprets the data. This data is extracted, and the application can display data or direct the user to a website.
The data encoded in a QR code for those nerdy enough to care
Potential Uses
Well, first you’ll need something to direct the QR code towards. That could be any website or even an email address. Here are some examples:
YouTube Video
Google Maps Location
FourSquare
App Store Download
iTunes Link
Dropbox
Telephone Number
Skype Call
SMS Message
Email Address
Contact Details
Event (VCALENDAR)
Wifi Login (Android Only)
Paypal Buy Now Link[/one_fourth_last]
Generating QR Codes
Once you’ve decided what you’re going to link, then you’ll have to generate a QR code. There are lots of free websites that will do this for you. And essentially they all ask you to input a web address etc,. then spit out an image file that you can insert wherever you’d like. Here are a few that you can check out:
QR Stuff: Allows you to select what type of data you input, but is limited in the number of uses for free
Kaywa QR Code: Another site with free options – this time unlimited
QR Code Generator: I used this one to create an example that directs you to my educator portfolio. It allows you to automatically generate an embed code so that you can insert it into a website.
Reading QR Codes
Once you’ve got a QR code, or if you encounter one, you need a way to “read” it. Fortunately there are a number of applications (free and paid) available for your mobile device. Once you pick one and install it you’ll use the application and your smart phone’s camera to capture the image of the QR code, and then the application itself will direct you towards the linked resource.
iOS
- Scan: Simple and does its job well. Recommended by Lifehacker.
- Red Laser: Another option, also reads bar codes and can be used when shopping for price comparison
Android
- QR Droid: Highly rated by users for ease of use
- Scan: A popular well-regarded option
- Cam Scanner: Another popular and stable choice
Aren’t QR codes passé?
Though these codes seem to be everywhere their adoption, at least according to some sources, is lacking. See this infographic for a handy summary. Why have they not been adopted? Well, you need to download a separate app, and then remember to open it. Though this only takes 30 seconds – wer are impatient craetures. The public’s knowledge of the use and utility of QR codes is still limited. And finally, using a QR code to simply link you to a corporate website isn’t actually stretching the potential of the tool. It is therefore up to the user to figure out unique ways to take advantage of QR codes.
Here are some more uses that you might want to consider
- Put one on a poster presentation to direct a user to your website
- Use one to direct people to interactive data that supports a presentation/poster
- Put one on your business card
- Put them on patient education materials
[…] Here’s a follow up to my earlier post on QR codes. […]