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The data stored in a QR code can include website URLs, phone numbers, or up to 4,000 characters of text. This allows it to house significantly more data. But a QR code is read in two directions – top to bottom and right to left. That means they can only store a small amount of information, usually in an alphanumeric format. Standard barcodes can only be read in one direction – top to bottom. To achieve this, they developed a type of barcode that could encode kanji, kana, and alphanumeric characters. They needed a more accurate way to track vehicles and parts during the manufacturing process. The first QR code system was invented in 1994 by the Japanese company Denso Wave, a Toyota subsidiary. More recently, they have played a key role in helping to trace coronavirus exposure and slow the spread of the virus.Ĭheck out this video on YouTube how to recognize malicious QR codes and protect yourself: QR codes are frequently used to track information about products in a supply chain and – because many smartphones have built-in QR readers – they are often used in marketing and advertising campaigns.
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What are QR codes?Ī QR code is a type of barcode that can be read easily by a digital device and which stores information as a series of pixels in a square-shaped grid. But no matter how much they contain, when scanned, the QR code should allow the user to access information instantly – hence why it’s called a Quick Response code. While they may look simple, QR codes are capable of storing lots of data.
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