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QR Codes - Uses and Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities
Information provided by Disabled World - Published: 2011-07-22
Information on mobile phone scannable QR codes including accessibility issues and practical uses of QR code technology to assist persons with disability.
In simple terms a QR or Quick Response Code is a type of barcode. If your mobile phone has a QR Code Reader application installed you can take a picture of the Codes and they'll link your phone to a webpage or specific content.
The primary value of Quick Response (QR) codes is in accessing information quickly and easily. All you need to access a QR code is a Smartphone or cell phone (with a camera) and barcode reader (easily available as an app if your phone’s not pre-equipped).
QR codes are a two dimensional barcode that stores 7,089 characters (numbers, alphabetic, symbols, binary and/or control codes). QR code was originally created in 1994 at the Toyota subsidiary, Denso-Wave - as the traditional barcode, used in manufacturing to track and inventory parts, had a limitation of storing only 20 digits. QR codes can hold several hundred digits and function even if they are partially damaged. They are also omni-directional, which means they are readable from any direction, ensuring high speed scanning.
QR codes can be read anytime, anywhere with mobile devices. This makes them easy to decode and convenient since special scanners are not required and the camera of mobile phones simply scans and presents the information contained in the codes. One of the largest barriers preventing people from using QR codes is simply a lack of awareness of the technology.
What do you need to recognize QR codes on your phone?
There are various free QR code readers out there including neoreader, kaywa and quickmark. You don’t need a particularly high end phone either - but it does need to be equipped with a camera. Many Android, Nokia, and Blackberry handsets come with QR code readers installed. QR reader software is available for most mobile platforms.
- For BlackBerry devices, the App World application can natively scan QR codes and load any recognized Web URLs on the device's Web browser.
- Nokia's Symbian operating system is provided with a barcode scanner, which is able to read QR codes, while mbarcode is a QR code reader for the Maemo operating system.
- For the Apple iOS, a QR code reader is not natively included, but more than fifty paid and free apps are available with reader and metadata browser URI redirection ability.
- QR codes can be utilized in Google's mobile Android operating system via both their own Google Goggles application or 3rd party barcode scanners like ZXing or Kaywa.
Uses for QR Codes:
While QR codes have been around in the business world for quite some time the possibilities in the online, educational, and entertainment fields are just being realized. You may find that scanning a QR Code and storing or accessing data directly using your mobile phone is more convenient than taking notes. Students can point their mobile phone cameras at the codes and have instant access to information. In a lecture, students could point their mobiles at a PowerPoint presentation to download it or save urls for later use.
 QR code for http://www.disabled-world.com |
The example QR code, shown right, when scanned will take you to our home page at: http://www.disabled-world.com
QR Code Accessibility and Uses for Persons with Disabilities:
QR Codes and symbols are proving to be a very interesting approach for persons with disabilities.
- Wayfinding Systems Based on Geo-coded QR Codes and Social Computing for Individuals with Cognitive Impairments - In this paper a wayfinding prototype system based on QR codes and social computing for individuals with cognitive impairments is presented - http://bit.ly/oPAxkw
- QR-Coded Audio Periodic Table of the Elements - A quick response coded audio periodic table of the elements (QR-APTE) was developed using free online resources. The potential of QR-APTE was tested using a smart phone and is envisaged to become a truly powerful tool to teach chemistry to blind and visually impaired students under a mobile-learning environment - pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ed200541e
- Chartiy Uses QR Codes for Donations - City Harvest is reaching donors with an innovative advertising campaign that uses QR technology in print, phone kiosks, transit shelters, and on Facebook - www.cityharvest.org
- Purdue University - Use a QR code allowing students to access the Disability Resource Center information through their mobile devices and store a customize map with information about buildings accessible for students with disabilities. The QR code stores a URL address, and users with a camera phone equipped with the correct reader application can scan the image of the QR code to display text or open a Web page in the phone's browser - http://bit.ly/n93moe
- Symbol Surfing - Project at The Rix centre is looking at symbol recognition software on computers that can benefit people with learning disabilities - http://thebigtree.org/symbol-surfing
- QR Codes as an Assistive Technology - Digit-Eyes App - 2D-code.co.uk article describing different ways QR labels can be used to help the blind determine the age of food in the fridge without popping the lid and leaving audio messages that can be played back on their iPhone - http://2d-code.co.uk/qr-code-assistive-technology/
NOTE: Please contact Disabled World if you use or know of other current QR code use for persons with disabilities - including projects in development. Or if you can suggest an application where QR code use would be of benefit to the disabled.
QR-Code Business Card Creator:
Create business cards with this free online QR Code business card generator. Choose one of the business card templates or enter your business details, including website and email address, and print out the PDF document containing your business card images - www.tec-it.com/online-demos/Business-Cards/Free-Business-Cards.aspx
QR-Code Readers:
There are several apps that help to read QR codes on mobile phones, with some specific ones available exclusively for the Blackberry, iPhone and other smart phones. Most of these apps can be downloaded free of cost.
BeeTagg - http://www.beetagg.com/en/download-qr-reader/
i-nigma Reader - http://www.i-nigma.com/Downloadi-nigmaReader.html
KAYWA Reader - http://reader.kaywa.com/getit
Lynkee Reader - http://m.lynkee.com/
MobileTag - http://mobiletag.com/en/download.php
NeoReader - http://www.neoreader.com/get-neoreader/wap-download
ScanLife - http://www.getscanlife.com/
SnapMaze - http://www.snapmaze.com/?q=node/7
UpCode - http://www.upc.fi/en/upcode/download/
QuickMark - http://www.quickmark.com.tw/En/basic/downloadMain.asp
QR-Code Generators:
There are a number of QR code generator sites to make your own codes, one such QR code generaror can be found at http://delivr.com/qr-code-generator
Future of QR Codes:
The future success will not be attributed to simply linking to url's. The real enterprise solutions are where the codes will be monetized and customization for business and commercial use will be at the forefront of intelligent and professional use, examples of which are; e-government, tourism, advertising and targeted marketing, packaging, supply chain management, brand management and brand protection, logistics, track and trace, anti-counterfeit or smuggling, id & passports, transport and ticketing, parking, disability, crm, cross media campaigns, m-ticketing, m-payments, e-learning, complete integration of localization, personalization, objects and other data.
How To Use QR Codes Video - Video example of scanning a QR code using an iPhone.
- This web page is from the Disabled World Disability and Health Apps section which provides: A list of popular disability and health apps for mobile devices including iPad iPhone Windows Phones and Android hand held devices.
- iPhone Apps for Disability and Vision Impairments - The iPhone can be used for much more than just listening to music or playing games. Listed are some helpful applications available for the iPhone that can truly make life easier for people with vision impairments.
- Siri and Disability - Personal Assistant on Apple iPhone Takes Accessibility to New Level - The iPhone 4S comes with something called SIRI, an artificial intelligence gone mainstream to consumers in an incredible way.
- QR Code - (Quick Response Code) - A trademarked name for a type of matrix barcode originally designed for the automotive industry. Recently, the system has become popular outside of the industry due to fast readability and large storage capacity compared to standard UPC barcodes. QR codes consist of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded can be made up of four standardized kinds (modes) of data (numeric, alphanumeric, byte/binary, Kanji), or by extensions supporting virtually any kind of data.
Note: We do not verify all information shared by those commenting. Views expressed within comments do not necessarily reflect those of Disabled World.
