Tagging the World

TAGGING THE WORLD

One Thing at a Time

The world is being tagged for the Internet to see. This is a trend that started some years back in Japan when they started to use QR codes (Quick Response) to tag everything from advertisements to t-shirts. The vast majority of Internet enabled, camera based cell phones have the ability to read these codes, in fact the Nokia handsets are intrinsically capable of reading the codes while all other phones have downloads available that can be used, many are free.

As I have described in previous posts here, here and here there are many methods of tagging physical objects so that they can be recognized by various devices. Among these various methods RFID is arguably the most popular and widely known of the newer methods because of its ubiquity in id cards, toll roads and many of the products that we purchase and use. Traditional bar codes (UPC Codes) are still used as well but represent a low tech method of identification compared to some of the newer, more recent additions to the arsenal of tagging products. While all of these and others play a vital in the tagging of real world objects, none of them are as open and easily used as QR Codes.

WHAT ARE QR CODES?

Sometimes referred to as 2d codes, 2d bar codes, mobile codes or matrix codes, QR codes were invented by a Japanese company in 1994, the company is Denso-Wave. The term Quick Response is where the QR comes from because the inventor intended these codes to be read at high speed. As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, these codes are very popular in Japan and the biggest cell phone supplier (Nokia) provides a QR reader by default on all its phones. The image at the top of the post is a typical looking QR Code, in this instance the code represents a link to this site - www.tastethecloud.com. If you pointed your cell phone camera at the image and scanned it the resulting action would be to launch your local browser with the site loaded, this assumes you are running QR code reader software (see the resources section below).

The image is broken up into four regions that can be identified by the reader software, version and format information as well as data, correction keys and the required patterns are all held within the image. The most current specification is located here and it defines the 2005 set of symbols, but this isn't necessarily representative since there is variation among the implementations (like most other standards!).

The QR Codes have limited capacities depending on the data types being rendered, the maximum amount of numeric data that can be stored is 7,089 characters while the maximum alphanumeric is only 4,296 characters. There are two other types of data that can be rendered in the QR image, binary information and the Kanji/Kana set of Japanese syllabic scripts. The Reed-Solomon method of error correction is used for QR codes, this type of error correction can produce excellent results, see below:

The three images to the left represent the original source image, source with data removed and the source image with data added. Believe it or not each of the three images can be easily read using only level L error correction, this represents the least effective correction of the levels available (L. M. Q, H). Given that example, it is safe to say that QR codes represent a stable method for tagging objects.

Several types of information have been specifically defined for portability and standard use, this data includes URLs, contact information and several other forms. These de facto standard types allow software developers to create actions based on the data being read, a URL would open the browser while contact information would open a contact manager. Using QR Codes is license free and the term itself is trademarked by the inventor, Denso Wave Incorporated. There is also a variant called Micro QR Code that is only able to handle up to 35 characters and like the full implementation has a number of variations among the implementations. The codes themselves can be generated on any number of websites (for free) and printed on basically any printer, once printed the code is ready to be used.

WHERE AND HOW ARE THEY USED

As I mentioned, QR codes are huge in Japan being predominantly displayed in print ads, on posters, the sides of buses, billboards and even t-shirts. The codes are part of the Japanese culture and for good reason, they provide a way to link the virtual world with the real world. They are being used in America and Europe as well, but sparingly, use is slowly on the rise as is evidenced by the QR reader application downloads for both the Android and iPhone. 

It is actually pretty amazing to me that the advertising whores in the US and Europe haven't found this to be an excellent way to drive traffic to websites as well as, at least for now, leverage a method to differentiate a product or service. This probably shouldn't be surprising, especially after watching just an hour or two of television and seeing the terrible commercials that clutter every manufactured break. Nonetheless, because these codes are so easy to produce and use even the slow-to-get-it advertising industry will wake up sooner then later. There is some evidence of awakening as the technology is starting to show up in political campaigns, print ads (see Website Magazine for an example) and publishing, even the arts are getting involved with an urban project in Berlin that preserves Graffiti.

Corporate Endorsements

A tipping point in the use of QR Codes is likely to be brought about by Google because of their long standing and continued commitment to the technology. This commitment was reiterated earlier this year by the addition of QR Codes to their URL shortening service, Goo.gl. This is in addition to the commitments already made on the Android platform and via a recent snail mailing of Google QR coded decals to 10,000 businesses. The addition of QR Codes to the Google arsenal of advertising tools is logical and almost guarantees their use to become second nature as it is in Japan already.

Another commitment to the technology comes from Apple, you know, that little computer-phone company in California. It turns out that Apple wants to get into the ticketing business, this was outlined in a patent application they submitted sometime ago and recently came to light. The patent application describes a system for the entire ticketing process from purchase through redemption, and it uses QR Codes as can be seen in one of the mock ups from the patent on the right.

Of course it always helps a new technology when big companies get behind it, Apple and Google represent the proverbial tip of the iceberg in terms of actual big corporate endorsements of this technology, there are dozens of other large companies and brands that are actively using QR Codes as part of their corporate agenda and strategy.  See some of the other major brands using QR codes below:

1. GMC decided to use QR codes to promote its new Granite vehicle.
2. The Detroit Red Wings are using QR codes in the program guides.
3. Facebook has decided to give all users and brands a QR Code linking them to their Facebook page.
4. Ford experiments with a QR code embedded in a print advertisement in India.
5. The Weather Channel uses a QR Code on the screen that automatically downloads (to the Android) the Weather Application.
6. Addidas in Japan uses QR Codes to link mobile users to the FIFA World Cup mobile site.
7. Starbucks is using QR Codes to allow consumers to pay by simply scanning the phone
8. Chevy is placing QR Codes on cars during certain exhibitions and shows.
9. Best Buy is using QR Codes to link users directly to the mobile shopping site.

This list doesn't come close to representing the actual number of companies that are planning to use, experimenting with or actually using QR Codes around the world, the trends in America are also being reflected in Europe and other regions in the world, given the benefits and relative cost of using QR Codes it is likely that usage will continue to expand globally and at a faster pace.

Current Uses

Although advertising is probably the biggest user of QR Codes, there are many other instances where it is being leveraged as another way to tag the world, except that this method is usable by almost everyone with a cell phone and camera. The primary use of QR codes is URL linking, this is where the scan of a QR code leads to a specific page on a website or URL via the locally installed browser. Originally, these codes were used in automated assembly systems to help robots identify various parts and components required to finish a specific job. These codes and other variations are still used by some automated systems but they are being replaced by more accurate technologies like holographic laser scanners and better software that can perform object recognition based on image comparison.

For the purpose of allowing the Internet to gain vision into the physical world these codes satisfy many requirements and will prove useful as a means of identifying objects, places and things all around the world. The context where I came upon these codes was in identifying objects and their history, this is a very cool idea and is represented in the extreme in the graffiti example I mentioned earlier. The artist takes a photograph of the graffiti and places it on a web page, when the graffiti is removed he generates and places a QR code where the graffiti was, when scanned this QR code will take the viewer to the website and display the last picture taken. When the QR code is placed where the graffiti was the artist takes another picture which is used for the next round of removal or cleanup. The image of the door above represents a piece of this work. Effectively, an entire history of the wall is built, maintained and accessible online via a cell phone.

Additional Uses

In spite of the more esoteric use of the technology as described above, the potential is actually quite amazing for what these codes can do. For companies and businesses the uses are practically endless and includes all the obvious candidates like business cards and visual advertisements like posters, billboards, print and even television. There will be some companies, especially the earliest adopters, that will find a unique way to leverage this machine vision in some unique way like Blendtec did with YouTube. To be clear on the opportunities for exploitation I constructed a list of possible uses for QR Codes, the list represents a consolidation from multiple websites and posts I've read on this topic, the links are included in the resources section below.

1. Linking printed publications like magazines, newspapers and books to blogs, RSS feeds and websites
2. Providing an interactive way to describe the community in terms of its public locations and buildings
3. Creating and distributing coupons, tickets or other forms of redemption based products
4. Delivering product information, real-time purchase incentives or other relevant communication
5. Providing additional real-estate information for home sales and office rentals 
6. Building and maintaining an object's history of location, ownership, changes, etc.
7. Directing people to a website (duh!) by object tagging
8. Enabling easier product sales to mobile device users from catalogs, fliers, signs, etc.
9. Including on business cards for easy assimilation into contact databases and directing to company website
10. Connecting media products like CDs and DVDs to online clips, interviews and other multimedia
11. Connecting geocachers to online logbooks and additional cache information

This list only represents a small sampling of the possible uses for this simple but effective approach to tagging the world and extending the Internet with a new sense of vision, incredible. This convergence of the real and virtual worlds will extend the cloud infrastructure and the information it contains by an exponential amount, pushing the limits of our ability to make sense of it. One analogy for this future I can come up with is that ultimately the cloud will be able to produce a CARFAX type report on every object that has been tagged. Imagine being able to get current information as well as a detailed history on objects and places by simply pointing your cellphone at them and taking a picture! For many things this information is already in the cloud but has not yet been physically linked to the real world, let's have at it.

Tags without Tags

With the increasing granularity and accuracy of cellphone based location systems it is likely that immobile objects like buildings will not require tags to be identified, instead identification will be handled by software and a combination of sensors including GPS for location, accelerometer for orientation, compass for direction and lastly the camera to provide the vision. Both the sensor and software technology required to accomplish this dynamic identification already exists and several companies are actively pursuing and providing solutions. This won't eliminate the need for QR codes or other types of tagging systems to be used in this context but it does reduce the applicability to specific objects within it, like books in the library and not the library or products in a store and not the store.

Types of content

Keep in mind that the contents of a QR code are wide open provided it is within the specification, there is no limitation on what data is transmitted via the QR image to the scanning device, typically this contains a URL or contact information but could also contain messages or any other conceivable combination of characters. When these images are rendered on  screens like televisions and outdoor displays it is possible to transmit dynamic information like weather conditions, sports scores or even short news stories. The only limit is the number of characters, which based on the acceptance and use of Twitter the 4,296 provided by QR Codes should be adequate.

Some of the most obvious types of information can include details for products, offers, contact information, events, competitions, coupons, ticket information, social network IDs and personal information like your resume or demographics. These glyphs can be incorporated directly onto products for the purpose of highlighting various parts that have links or additional information that can be referenced like online help or usage instructions.

Consider applying this technology to drugs or other consumables like packaged food and beverages where the buyer can simply point their camera at an item to find out the details regarding things like active ingredients, shelf life and expiration, where it was manufactured or even interactions it might have with other products. This technology could begin to provide a method for reconciling the world to one's personal preferences and condition. For example, if I am lactose intolerant I might have my phone programmed to look for lactose in the ingredients of products I plan on purchasing. The same technology could look for interactions between the food and drugs that are being purchased in order to make sure that the combinations will not have a negative impact on your health and well-being.

SOFTWARE

As most people now understand, the world is run primarily by software. While the advances in nanoscale devices and technologies are revolutionizing the world it is still the software that extracts the value out of them, without well written software these awesome components are little more than a pile of silicone (or carbon) molecules. This is just as true with the implementation of QR codes and the underlying technology used to read them and execute the actions based on the instructions they provide, fortunately there are multiple options available for each of the cellular and desktop platforms.

There are basically two primary types of software used to implement and leverage QR codes: Code Generators and Code Readers, the following section will describe both components and how they are used to generate and read QR codes. The resources section contains the links to some of the code generators and code readers available, I'm not able to test all of them but based on reviews each seems capable of performing its function without much difficulty. Because the code readers and generators have been around for some time (in Japan) the software is relatively mature and capable, in general the fundamental alpha and beta work was done several years ago.

Code Generators

The component used to actually generate a QR code is called a code generator, typically these are housed on the web but in some cases there are downloadable programs that can be executed locally and independent of the cloud. These applications are usually simple and make it extremely easy to generate and print a usable QR code, because they are widely available all over the Internet there are no special requirements to consider, simply define the code and print it out. To give you a sense of the density of available information and software consider that a Google query of "qr codes generator" generates no less than 4.55 million hits! To further qualify the statement that QR codes have yet to actually catch on in Europe and America, that same query only generates two sponsored links, as these codes become more highly used I expect that number to increase significantly and the cost per keyword to go up dramatically, that will make Google happy.

Code Readers

The second component is the reader, this is a piece of software that can interpret an image from a camera to determine where the QR code is and how to read it. This component has been widely available for a number of years on cell phones, specifically the Nokia models that represent the dominant cellular device in Japan. Over the past several months QR code readers have been made available for the Android devices, iPhone, Symbian devices, Blackberry, Palm and a host of others. From my review of the available readers for each of these platforms it seems that they all provide at least a couple of free versions. Since I am an iPhone user (last generation) it was easy for me to validate the available readers in terms of their usability and functionality, all of the products I tested worked well without any difficulty in installation or use.

This technology was originally created for use in robotic automation and was later adopted for use in cellular devices, because of this evolution the options for desktop based readers are limited, especially on the Mac platform. This is perplexing when you consider that there are almost as many reasons to read QR codes on your desktop as there are from your cell phone. Consider that you are reading a magazine at your desk and one of the articles leads to a website that contains additional content and videos, why would you use your cell phone to access it with your desktop right in front of you? The answer is, you wouldn't. That said, the number of available options is considerably less than cellular devices but there are desktop implementations available for each of the big three: Linux, Snow Leopard and Windows (XP, 7 and Vista). Obviously, they all require you have a webcam.

Multi-Function Applications

A new class of hybrid software is starting to emerge on the cellular platforms that can read multiple types of codes including Datamatrix, QR codes, UPC codes and other proprietary codes as well. Since it is not likely there will ever be a single coding system, these applications typically represent the most value because of the code compatibility they provide. As of this writing there are no less than a dozen different methods for tagging physical objects and locations, the continued evolution of these tagging models and methodologies is likely to generate new paradigms on a routine basis for the next several years - stay tuned to the software as it will be changing frequently during that period.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

There are plenty of resources available to leverage additional information from, the following represents some of the best links I was able to find doing this research. Obviously this is changing on a pretty frequent basis, only last month Google made the announcement to include QR codes as part of their URL shortening service. If you are in any type of sales and marketing position you should, in my opinion, be constantly reviewing how these technologies can differentiate your company, message or product and service. With each new iteration of these tagging technologies comes new and expanded benefits for communication, this is arguably the most important aspect of any good sales, marketing and advertising campaign.

• Berlin artist Sweza using QR codes to preserve Graffiti
• JMango platform used for developing mobile applications with QR code integration
• QR Codes used in Central Park for an interactive board game
• Artist create a desk lamp based on QR Code 
• Tappinn, another platform for building QR based mobile applications
• Consolidated list of QR Code Generators
• UK politician Martin Tod uses QR codes in his campaign
• QR Codes used to market a Novel in New York and Los Angeles
• German videos showing the codes being used in various ways here and here
• Several articles expounding on the benefits of QR Codes here, here and here
• Winksite, a platform for creating mobile based websites and communities
• BeeTag, a multicode reader and QR system for mobile platforms (iPhone, Android, Blackberry, etc)
• QRME is a QR Code site containing a list of all available readers by cellular device
• The Pondering Primate, a blog that QR codes and other new technologies and big ideas
• New Scientist article about barcodes and an object's history
• List of posts discussing Google and their continued commitment to QR Codes
• Windows based QR reader from Jaxo Systems
• Mobile Bar-Codes site with list of available reader
• Macintosh based desktop QR reader

Obviously this isn't an exhaustive list but it should provide a reasonable set of resources that cam be leveraged as a good starting point. This area of technology is very active and changing almost daily so make sure to identify one or two good sites that will help keep you plugged in on a go forward basis, depending on what you do for a living this may not be a topic to ignore.

SUMMARY

One thing is clear, providing the Internet with the ability to see and make sense of the real world is a trend that is firmly in place. The graph below shows Google search volumes over a six year period for the term "QR Codes", as you can see the trend went vertical this year which should translate into a massive adoption of this technology in the relative short term, say 12 to 18 months. Clicking on the graph will lead to the associated Google trending page with additional details.

I see this capability as being an exciting way to differentiate businesses and their offerings from the rest of the pack, the opportunity is now for taking advantage of this before it becomes just another cool thing like a website or a Facebook account. I refer back to the impact that YouTube had on the blender company Blendtec after it released the "Can It Blend" series of videos, their sales went exponential in a period of several days. The opportunities this provides to business are substantial in terms of the potential impact, consider just the increased volume of web traffic by including a URL linked QR code on all of the letterhead, business cards and published materials.

The opportunities for use of this technology extends way beyond advertising and in to the areas of education, support and entertainment. Consider being able to point your phone at a device, take a picture and then be presented with all the information required to understand what the device is, what is does and how to operate it. This isn't unreasonable because there are companies already involved in this type of development.

Over the next year or two we should see an increasing number of uses for QR codes, not just in advertising but across multiple fields and industries. There is ample opportunity for new products and ideas that can leverage these codes in a new and unique way, it won't be long before we start to see these unique applications in the marketplace. I expect many to take the form of games and challenges as opposed to simple URL links, although there will be plenty of that as well. At the root, QR Codes provide a method for linking the real world to the virtual world of the Internet, this means that the applicability spans almost every aspect of business and society.

Stay tuned for more on coding technologies and the interent of things...