QR codes have been used in Japan and Asian countries since 1994, they are found literally everywhere: from a variety of products resting on store shelves, colorful signs, to various advertising leaflets.
Initially, the QR code was developed and presented by a company called Denso-Wave for internal needs, today the code has found widespread use in other areas, since its use does not require any royalties and remains free.
Barcode mutation
Its appearance was preceded by the high popularity of barcodes, which led to the fact that the amount of information about objects hardwired into them no longer met the requirements of users. A number of experiments were carried out, which made it possible to obtain a more convenient way to encode data.
In addition to being popular in Japan, QR codes have become widespread in other countries. It has been practiced for a long time in Asia, but, oddly enough in Europe and America, it is used less often, being at the stage of initial development.
Previously, barcodes had to be scanned with a thin beam of a special device that identified the goods only by a digital encrypted code. The main difference between the new QR code was that the scanner read it as a kind of two-dimensional image, because the image of the QR code is special squares for synchronization, which orient the code for easy reading by the scanner.
The main feature of the above code is its easy application in the trade industry, thanks to its quick recognition by any adapted equipment, up to an ordinary mobile phone on the android, windows or apple (iphone) platform.
Working with QR
It is worth remembering that this is a universal storage medium. This type of encoding has earned its recognition because anyone can work with a QR code. After installing a special reading program-recognizer in the phone, it allows the user to instantly transfer information of interest to his phone, send special messages, add contacts. Many mobile operators have long taken into account the popularity of the QR code and release mobile devices with a pre-built code recognition function.
There is also special software to use QR codes, different applications are required for different phone models.
To read the QR code using a mobile phone, you need a working camera. After downloading the program for reading QR codes, you need to install it and, aiming the camera at the QR code, wait until the program decodes it and displays the necessary information.
In Japan itself, QR codes find unexpected uses: they can even be found in the cemetery, where they are used to provide information about the deceased. These codes are actively used in museums, involved in the work of travel agencies. In Lviv, for example, there is even a special tourist movement that has placed QR codes at tourist sites, this is done so that a tourist, even alone and without knowing the language, can easily navigate the new city.
