QR code
are two-dimensional barcodes that can be read by many cell phones and smartphones. The codes, which are small squares with black and white patterns, appear in a variety of places, such as magazine and newspaper ads. A QR code is used to encode some sort of information, such as text or a URL. The "QR" in QR codes stands for "quick response," as the codes are designed to be read quickly. QR codes can be read by dedicated QR code readers and by some cell phones. To read a QR code, your cell phone will need a camera -- so it can snap a picture of the code -- and a QR code reader. You can find many free QR code readers in the various app stores for different phone platforms. Once your cell phone reads the code, the information that it stores is shared with you. You may be taken to a URL where you can watch a movie trailer, or you may be given details about the company you saw advertised. You may even be presented with a coupon for a local business.
How does it work?
Data can be translated into a QR code by any QR generator, many
of which are available free online. Users simply enter the data to be
translated, and the generator produces the code, which can then
be displayed electronically or in printed format. Decoding the information can be done with any mobile camera phone that has a QR
reader, which is freely available online for most devices. Once the
software is loaded, a user points the cell phone camera toward the
code and scans it. The software interprets the code, and the cell
phone will either display the text or ask for permission to launch a
browser to display the specified web page
Why is it significant?
The idea of linking spaces to information is not new, but QR codes
combine simple creation with easy access to QR code readers.
As a result, QR codes might kick-start widespread thinking and
innovation around information connected to locations and objects.
In museums, for example, QR codes might appear on plaques
beside art displays, directing patrons to information about the artwork and the artist. QR codes posted on a building might offer
visitors the history of the building itself or the corner on which it
stands, and they might give the architect’s name or discuss the
events happening in the city when the building was built. At botanical gardens, codes could direct users to information about the
medicinal uses or food value of botanical specimens on display
or offer data about the climate or soil equirements necessary for
certain plants to thrive. Because QR codes are so inexpensive,
they might even be printed as stickers and temporarily added to
campus signs for a class activity.