TWO-DIMENSIONAL MATRIX BARCODE.
Did you know that the two-dimensional matrix barcode or the QR code was invented in Japan by a development team led by Masahiro Hara for a company called Denso Wave? Hara is widely credited as the creator of the QR code and his team’s task was to create a barcode that could easily track automobiles and automobile parts during manufacturing but instead they invented the QR code. The QR labelling system was applied beyond the automobile industry due to its fast readability and greater storage capacity compared to standard Universal Product Code (UPC) barcodes. Applications include product tracking, item identification, time tracking, document management, and general marketing.
A QR code consists of black squares arranged in a square grid on a white background, including some fiducial markers, which can be read by an imaging device such as a camera, and processed using Reed–Solomon error correction until the image can be appropriately interpreted. The required data is then extracted from patterns that are present in both horizontal and vertical components of the image and it works by encoding data in a machine-readable format. When you scan a QR code with your smartphone, the QR code app will decode the data and take you to the linked website, display the contact information, or let you make payments. With the rise of smart phone mobile use and as an aftereffect of a global pandemic, the use of QR codes has exploded in popularity. The main reason for this is the ease and simplicity of use that comes with it.
GS1’s first generation barcodes have been used on over 1 billion products and they contain a unique identifier known as the Global Trade Identification Number (GTIN). Thanks to GS1 standards, a simple scan connects each of these products to digital information that flows seamlessly across the supply chain. Now, 50 years after the first barcode was introduced, GS1 is launching two-dimensional (2D) barcodes capable of carrying additional data i.e., store images, website URLs, voice data, and other binary data types, that can be shared beyond the “beep” at the checkout.
Ways individuals and businesses can use QR codes
By incorporating them into their business cards. This allows people to scan the code and instantly add the business owner’s contact information to their phone. Likewise, a QR code on business cards can take people to a company’s website or contact page. This way, businesses can keep their cards simple, sleek, and innovative.
To track how effective companies marketing campaigns are, QR codes make it easy for customers to redeem coupons and businesses to track redemption rates. To use QR codes for coupons, businesses simply need to generate a unique code for each coupon and include it on the coupon itself. The customer can then scan the code with their phone to redeem the discount.
Supermarkets can also put QR codes on packaged food, allowing customers to get more information about the ingredients and recipes. The shopper merely has to hold their phone up to the QR code on the packaging, and they will be taken to a website or an app with more information. It is an excellent way for businesses to provide customers with more transparency about their food products. Plus, it is a helpful way for shoppers to learn more about what they’re buying and how to use it.
Getting customer insights is essential for every business since it helps assess customer satisfaction levels and identify areas for improvement. Traditionally, customer surveys were paper-based and required customers to fill out a form and drop it in a box or mail it back. With the advent of QR codes, businesses can now create digital customer surveys that are easy to complete and don’t require any paper. You have to put a QR code on the receipt you give to the customer after a purchase.
Many restaurants switched to contactless menus during the pandemic to help reduce the spread of germs. Instead, customers can scan a QR code with their smartphone to view the menu, also an excellent way for them to keep their menus updated in real-time and avoid printing new menus every time there’s a change.
When fully embraced, QR codes can also be put on resumes whereby potential employers can scan the QR code and be taken to a website where they can learn more about the person’s qualifications and experience. This can be a great way to stand out in competition and make it easy for employers to learn more about you.
In a nutshell QR codes are developing at a relentless pace, offering a wide array of benefits across multiple industries. The smart technology trend has already become widespread, and shows no sign of abating.
Once again, I ask. When a QR code has every aspect captured, why would one desire a linear barcode?