We know the drill by now: before entering any shop/restaurant/building, whip out your smartphone, look for the SafeEntry QR code, scan it, enter your personal particulars, and finally tap 'check-in'.
Short on time? Check out this 90-second video for the QR Code origin story!
You’ve probably scanned more QR codes in the last few months than youdid in your entire life. They’ve saved us from filling up endless paperforms on clipboards, so let’s take a moment to learn more about these black-and-whiteheroes.
So just what exactly is a QR code?
When you use the self-checkout counter at a supermarket, you scan thebarcodes of your purchases. The barcode contains data about the item it’sattached to, so the electronic cashier immediately knows you’re buyinga bag of Kettle salt & fresh ground pepper potato chips the momentyou scan it.
Well, the QR – which stands for “quick response” – code is basically abarcode on steroids. While the barcode holds information horizontally,the QR code does so both horizontally and vertically. This enables theQR code to hold over a hundred times more information.
How did it come about?
In the early 1990s, barcode scanning was becoming increasingly laborious.Each barcode could hold just 20 characters of data, so it often took multiplebarcodes on a box to convey what was inside. When a Japanese engineer bythe name of Hara Masahiro – who made barcode scanners for a living – learntof the problem, he set about solving it.
Together with his team, Hara developed a two-dimensional barcode in theshape of a square, tackling the issue of limited data capacity. However,when these new barcodes were printed with other forms of text next to them,scanning machines could not pick them up. This rendered the square barcodesimpractical.
This impasse was overcome one day when Hara, looking out of the subwaywindow on the way to work, noticed that skyscrapers stood out distinctivelyfrom the rest of the landscape. He began searching for ways to distinguishthe square barcodes from text.
Finally, he landed on the solution of embedding three small squares (witha specific ratio of black-to-white areas) at the corners of the new barcode,enabling scanners to recognise it instantaneously.
QR Codes are anchored by squares in the corner. Now you know what theyare for!
Dealing with imperfections
Another issue that Hara mulled over was whether the new barcode couldstill be read if it was obscured by smudges or otherwise damaged.
Again, he gleaned inspiration from his surroundings, this time while playingGo (the Japanese board game, not Pokemon Go) during lunch. Although playerswere supposed to place their pieces at the intersections of the grid board,he noticed that you could still figure out where a piece was supposed tobe even if its placement was slightly off. This gave him confidence thatbarcode scanners could similarly understand imperfect square barcodes.
Indeed, QR codes today are known for their robustness and can be scannedeven when part of it is missing or covered. Brands sometimes make use ofthis feature by placing their logo in a QR code to drum up some brand recognitionwithout compromising functionality.
Wowing the crowd
In 1994, Hara was finally ready to roll out his brainchild. As Hara workedfor a subsidiary of a car components manufacturer, he demonstrated itsuse at an automobile trade meeting, winning over representatives from severalfirms.
Japan’s car companies quickly adopted them after the successful showcase,a strong vote of confidence in this new invention.
From obscurity to ubiquity
The QR code might have just remained a workhorse for product cataloguingif it had not been for another invention: mobile devices with cameras.As people soon became inseparable from their smartphones, everyone alwayshad a QR code scanner at their fingertips wherever they went.
That said, its rise to mainstream adoptionwasn’t easy.As recent as the 2010s, you needed to download a variety of apps to scanvarious codes. Very frustrating and not exactly what we’d call good userexperience.
But as it turns out, QR codes were just ahead of their time. It took awhilefor smartphones to catch up, but these days, you no longer need a separateapp to scan QR codes. For instance, iPhones with iOS 11 (launched in 2017)or later can read QR codes using just the standard camera app.
Nowadays, QR codes are used for a myriad of purposes, such as:
Advertising (connecting consumers to a brand’s website or discounts)
E-payments (particularly deep penetration in China, thanks to WeChat)
Joining WiFi networks without having to enter passwords
Providing more information about exhibits at museums.
A few companies have even added QR codes togravestonestolet people know more about the deceased!
And, of course, the QR code enables SafeEntry in Singapore right now.The system is vital in ensuring that contact tracers can do their jobseven as Singapore progressively reopens and people-to-people interactionsinevitably increase.
So when you’re out and about, whip out your smartphone and do your part.
