Today anyone with a smartphone can scan and read QR codes with the click of a camera and thus access information, commercial retail links or even pictures. Unfortunately those codes are up to now not widely known or used throughout the world and are only very famous in Japan. But this is more and more beginning to change when people all over the world adjust their mobiles to the newest technical standards.

A QR code is a matrix code (or two-dimensional bar code) created by Japanese corporation Denso Wave in 1994. The "QR" is derived from "Quick Response", as the creator intended the code to allow its contents to be decoded at high speed.

Although initially used for tracking parts in vehicle manufacturing, QR Codes are now used in a much broader context, including both commercial tracking applications and convenience-oriented applications aimed at mobile phone users. QR Codes storing addresses and URLS appear in magazines, on signs, buses, business cards or just about any object that users might need information about.

Users with a camera phone equipped with the reader software can scan the image of the QR Code causing the phone's browser to launch and redirect to the URL. This act of linking from physical world objects is known as a hardlink. Users can also generate and print their own QR Code for others to scan and use by visiting one of several free QR Code generating sites.

Usages of the QR code

Branding and commercial links are the most widespread usages. Brands can create a code from their logo or website URL and print it on flyers, clothing, mugs or into magazines. The London/Zurich based design collaboration Lendorff.Kaywa for example, produced a limited edition scarf which has a QR code knitted into it.

Even tourism can profit from QR codes as CitySearch and Antenna Audio began in Spring 2008 to put reviews and audio snippets into codes on San Francisco historical landmarks and restaurants. The usage of codes as tickets for events like concerts is in development but still awaits a broader usage of QR code capable mobiles.

Japanese gravestone company Ishinokoe is nowadays selling tombstones emblazoned with  QR codes that can be scanned with a mobile phone camera. Scanning the code brings up a Web site on the phone's browser with photos, text, and videos of the deceased individual. The company developed the tombstones together with an IT firm in Tokyo. In addition people can view a greeting from the chief mourner at the funeral and browse through the guest book.

The future of QR code

Until now QR codes were mostly black and white and looked rather puzzling. A recently released designer QR symbol, produced by Tokyo based creative agency SET is looking to change all that. They teamed up Takashi Murakami with Louis Vuitton to create a distinctive code featuring one of the artist’s characters and the classic LV pattern. The agency hopes this will add much needed style and character to the bland world of machine readable codes.

Following that development people started creating artworks featuring or consisting of QR codes and thus combined the practical hightech code with fine arts.