QUICK RESPONSE CODE

A quick response code or QR code is a type of two dimensional barcode that stores information such as text, URLs or other data in a square grid of black and white modules. It features white and black squares within a square grid with fiducial markers on the corners, readable by imaging devices like cameras and processed using Reed-Solomon error code.

There are several types of quick response codes and they are; Numeric, alphanumeric, binary and kanji quick response codes.

Numeric quick response code mode encodes digits 0-9 only. The most compact mode is three digits and are packed into 10bits with a maximum capacity of 7089 characters.

Alphanumeric quick response code mode encode decimal digits 0 through 9, uppercase letters, the symbols $,%,*,+,_,.,/ and :, and the space character. This gives a total character set of exactly 45 characters.

Binary or byte quick response code mode converts each character into 8bits of data (one byte) with a maximum capacity (version 4.0, Level L) of 2953 bytes. It is used for almost all general purpose quick response codes.

Kanji quick response codes mode can encode most of the characters defined in shift JIS. The encodable set includes kanji used in japan, hiragana, hatakana, east Asian punctuation, full-width ASCII, greek, Cyrillic and miscellaneous, but no ordinary ASCII. The mode uses 13 bits per character.

Quick response codes are generated using quick response code generators. A quick response code generator is a software tool or online service that creates quick response codes from user inputted data such as text, URLs or images. Quick response code generators use algorithms to convert the input data into a quick response code matrix which can be scanned by a smart phone or other devices.

The type of quick response code generators are; online, desktop, mobile and API based quick response code generators.

Online quick response code generators are web based tools that allow users to create quick response codes without installing software. Example includes QR code monkey, GOQR.me and QR code generators.

Desktop quick response code generators are software applications that can be installed on a computer to create quick response codes. Example includes; QR code studio. Barcode studio and QR code maker.

Mobile quick response code generators are mobile apps that allow users to create QR codes on their smart phones. Example includes; QR code generator (ios, Android).

API based quick response code generators are programming interfaces that allow developers to integrate QR code generators into their applications. Example includes Google’s QR code API and QR code API by quickchart.

The advantages of quick response codes are; quick response codes are easy to use and require only a smartphone to scan. Quick response codes can store a large amount of data and can be read quickly. Quick response codes can store more data than traditional bar codes. Quick response codes have built-in error correction, which ensures that the data can be recovered even if the code is damaged. Quick response codes are inexpensive to generate and use.

The disadvantages of quick response codes are; quick response codes can be used for phishing, malware distribution and other malicious activities. Quick response codes require a smartphone or a quick response code reader to scan, which can be a barrier for some users. Quick response codes may not be readable by older smartphones or devices without a camera. While quick response codes can store a large amount of data they have limitations and large files may not be stored efficiently.

Quick response codes find application in the following; mobile payments such as Apple pay, Google pay and Wechat pay. Quick response codes are used in advertising, marketing campaigns and social media to direct users to websites or promotional content. Quick response codes are used in health care to store patient information, medical records and medication instructions. Quick response codes are used in transportation to track packages, shipments and inventory. Quick response codes are used in education to provide additional resources, interactive content and online learning materials.

The future of quick response codes depends on the advances and development of the following technologies; quick response codes that serve different content based on time, location, device or user profile. Cryptographically signed quick response code and block chain anchored quick response code will provide verifiable authenticity that are immutable or cannot be faulted. Future quick response codes may be able to store more data, enabling new use cases such as storing large files or complex data structures. Quick response codes may be used to trigger artificial reality (AR) experience, blending the physical and digital worlds. Quick response codes may be used to connect devices, track inventory and monitor supply chains in internet of things applications. Quick response codes may become standardized across industries, enabling seamless interactions between different systems and applications.

 

SOURCES:

• QR codes: A guide to creating and using quick response codes by Mark R. Miller.
• The QR code handbook: A guide to creating and using QR codes by Susan E. Ward.
• QR code: The ultimate guide by Michael R. Miller.
• The mobile marketing guide to QR code by Robb Kerschman.
• Automatic identification and data capture: A guide to barcode , RFID and other AIDC technologies by James A. Cox.