Briefing-61
An Introduction to
QR Codes
UKOLN: Supporting The Cultural Heritage Sector
Briefing-61
An Introduction to
QR Codes
UKOLN: Supporting The Cultural Heritage Sector
What are QR Codes?
What are QR Codes?
Quick Response (QR) codes are two-dimensional barcodes (matrix codes) that allow
their contents to be decoded at high speed. They were created by Japanese corporation
Denso-Wave in 1994 and have been primarily used for tracking purposes but have only
recently filtered into mainstream use with the creations of applications that allow them
to be read by mobile phone cameras.
Quick Response (QR) codes are two-dimensional barcodes (matrix codes) that allow
their contents to be decoded at high speed. They were created by Japanese corporation
Denso-Wave in 1994 and have been primarily used for tracking purposes but have only
recently filtered into mainstream use with the creations of applications that allow them
to be read by mobile phone cameras.
How Can You Read Them?
How Can You Read Them?
Users can scan in codes (maybe in a magazine
or on a poster) using a mobile phone with a
camera or QR reader and QR Code reader
software. The decoding software then interprets
the code. QR software can be downloaded from
the Web: a list of applications suitable for a
variety of handsets is available from 708Media
[1]. Users are then provided with a relevant
URL, chunk of text, transferred to a phone
number or sent an SMS. This act of linking
from physical world objects is known as a
hardlink or physical world hyperlinks.
Users can scan in codes (maybe in a magazine
or on a poster) using a mobile phone with a
camera or QR reader and QR Code reader
software. The decoding software then interprets
the code. QR software can be downloaded from
the Web: a list of applications suitable for a
variety of handsets is available from 708Media
[1]. Users are then provided with a relevant
URL, chunk of text, transferred to a phone
number or sent an SMS. This act of linking
from physical world objects is known as a
hardlink or physical world hyperlinks.
Figure 1: QR Code for the UKOLN
Cultural Heritage Web site
Figure 1: QR Code for the UKOLN
Cultural Heritage Web site
Creating QR Codes
Creating QR Codes
To create a QR Code you will need to access a QR Code generator then enter the
required information. The output is an image file which you can save to your computer.
There are a number of freely available QR code generators including Kaywa [2] and inigma [3]. An effective QR code should generally be a maximum of 40 – 80 characters
(more characters cause the image to degrade), black and white and a minimum of 2cm
wide.
To create a QR Code you will need to access a QR Code generator then enter the
required information. The output is an image file which you can save to your computer.
There are a number of freely available QR code generators including Kaywa [2] and inigma [3]. An effective QR code should generally be a maximum of 40 – 80 characters
(more characters cause the image to degrade), black and white and a minimum of 2cm
wide.
This document is available at:
<http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cultural-heritage/documents/briefing-61/>
This document is available at:
<http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/cultural-heritage/documents/briefing-61/>
Challenges
Challenges
Currently not all mobile devices have the capacity to include a QR code reader and
there are also issues regarding cost and speed of access to networks. QR codes have a
limited number of characters and use is currently limited to one action per code.
Currently not all mobile devices have the capacity to include a QR code reader and
there are also issues regarding cost and speed of access to networks. QR codes have a
limited number of characters and use is currently limited to one action per code.
Potential of QR Codes
Potential of QR Codes
QR Codes have great potential within learning and teaching, for example by linking to
online resources and allowing user interaction. They are also a great tool for linking
information to locations and objects, for example in museums or through the creation of
treasure trails. The QR Codes at Bath blog [4] offers many ideas for uses. They can also
be used in conjunction with other services (such as a library catalogue) or as a
marketing aid by putting onto posters, t-shirts etc. They are very cheap to produce. In
December 2008 Pepsi became the first high-profile consumer brand to use QR codes.
QR Codes have great potential within learning and teaching, for example by linking to
online resources and allowing user interaction. They are also a great tool for linking
information to locations and objects, for example in museums or through the creation of
treasure trails. The QR Codes at Bath blog [4] offers many ideas for uses. They can also
be used in conjunction with other services (such as a library catalogue) or as a
marketing aid by putting onto posters, t-shirts etc. They are very cheap to produce. In
December 2008 Pepsi became the first high-profile consumer brand to use QR codes.
QR Codes in the Museum
QR Codes in the Museum
A blog post on the PowerHouse Museum blog [5] identified a number of opportunities
and possible problems in making use of QR code with extended object. The blog post
suggested that QR codes are probably best seen just as mobile-readable URLs. However
initial experiments with QR codes identified a number of difficulties including not all
QR codes are not the same; Inconsistent size of QR codes and making the mobile site.
A blog post on the PowerHouse Museum blog [5] identified a number of opportunities
and possible problems in making use of QR code with extended object. The blog post
suggested that QR codes are probably best seen just as mobile-readable URLs. However
initial experiments with QR codes identified a number of difficulties including not all
QR codes are not the same; Inconsistent size of QR codes and making the mobile site.
References
References
1. 708Media, <http://www.708media.com/qrcode/a-list-qr-code-generators/>
1. 708Media, <http://www.708media.com/qrcode/a-list-qr-code-generators/>
2.
Kayway, <http://qrcode.kaywa.com/>
2.
Kayway, <http://qrcode.kaywa.com/>
3.
i-nigma, <http://www.i-nigma.com/i-nigmahp.html>
3.
i-nigma, <http://www.i-nigma.com/i-nigmahp.html>
4.
QR codes at Bath, University of Bath,
<http://blogs.bath.ac.uk/qrcode/>
4.
QR codes at Bath, University of Bath,
<http://blogs.bath.ac.uk/qrcode/>
5.
QR codes in the museum – problems and opportunities with extended object,
PowerHouse Musuem blog, 5 March 2009,
<http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/dmsblog/index.php/2009/03/05/
qr-codes-in-the-museum-problems-and-opportunities-with-extended-objectlabels/>
5.
QR codes in the museum – problems and opportunities with extended object,
PowerHouse Musuem blog, 5 March 2009,
<http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/dmsblog/index.php/2009/03/05/
qr-codes-in-the-museum-problems-and-opportunities-with-extended-objectlabels/>
Produced by UKOLN: a national centre of expertise in digital information management
For further information see <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/>
January 2013
Produced by UKOLN: a national centre of expertise in digital information management
For further information see <http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/>
January 2013