I recently came across this new barcode known as QR code. Popularly used in Japan, it is a martix code or 2-dimensional barcode. QR (Quick Response) is specially created for fast encoding and decoding and boasts of larger storage than the normal barcode.
"QR Code is open in the sense that the specification of QR Code is disclosed and that the patent right owned by Denso Wave is not exercised."—from the Denso-Wave website.
QUOTE
Storage
QR Code Data capacity
Numeric only Max. 7,089 characters
Alphanumeric Max. 4,296 characters
Binary (8 bits) Max. 2,953 bytes
Kanji/Kana Max. 1,817 characters
Error Correction capacity
Level L 7% of codewords can be restored.
Level M 15% of codewords can be restored.
Level Q 25% of codewords can be restored.
Level H 30% of codewords can be restored.
In Japan, firms store advertising information such as shop addresses in QR codes and print them on their advertisements. Consumers who wish to copy down the information no longer need to type or write; they use camera phones to take a picture and decode the QR using downloaded software.
A web-based QR code encoder is available here:
http://qrcode.kaywa.com/
Hanphone Java decoder is available here:
http://www.hafenscher.net/qrcode/
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_Code
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