Comments on: QR Codes at mLearn 2007

By: Leonard Low

Leonard Low — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 22:30:57 +0000

Hi Paul,

I’m glad you’ve had a go with 2D barcodes! Ironing out some of the wrinkles is part of any “new technology” adoption, so hang in there.

The reason you’re getting mixed success rates is probably a combination of factors. For a start, most phone cameras have fixed-focus lenses, and may not focus too well when *really* close to a barcode. This is easily fixed – making the barcodes a little bigger will mean that you can “snap” the image from further away.

This would also explain why you might be getting better results with simpler codes – the smaller codes render as bolder barcodes, making it easier for your phone to pick them up despite some blurriness. Mind you – there’s an approximately 30% error-correction buffer built into QR Codes, which means they can resolve even if almost a third of the code is obscured, blurred, or damaged.

The other thing to try is using different readers. The Quickmark reader I use on my phone incorporates a built-in digital zoom, which allows me to “zoom in” in a code with my phone held farther away – making it easier for my phone to focus properly. Just as you might try various image editing programs before you settle on one you really like using, it’s worth trying out various readers and picking the one that gives you the best results on your phone.

Good luck trying out 2D barcodes, and let me know if I can provide any support or assistance!

Cheers,
Len

By: Paul Doherty

Paul Doherty — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 07:02:28 +0000

Hi Leonard
Since attending the mLearn conference and attending your session I have been itching to try 2D Bar Codes. Today I did with some success.
A couple of questions though. I have found that my phone returns a “no barcode found ” message more often than not. It picks up very simple codes ie ones containing very little text data. It also seems to read more accurately off the original on screen than off a printed version. Could this be more to do with my phones camera lens than the actual barcode?
I can’t wait to show this at work tomorrow.
Paul

By: All about Mobile Life - Some recent QR code links (II)

All about Mobile Life - Some recent QR code links (II) — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 08:50:41 +0000

[...] links (II) Category: QR Code, Data Matrix… By editor at 10:47QR Codes and Learning QR Codes at mLearn 2007 by Leonard Low If you’re attending an m-learning conference in the future, consider having a [...]

By: Nicola Avery

Nicola Avery — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:01:42 +0000

What a great idea and link, I’ve added one which links to my contactus page (which is not completely mobile friendly at this time but hopefully soon)
Maybe I’ll get a tattoo done – do they read skin

By: Simon Brown

Simon Brown — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 05:50:53 +0000

Leonard, what a great concept. It’s fun too.

I used http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ to generate my mobile phone number.

I thought it was such a quirky look, now it adorns my avatar at http://twitter.com/skytrystsjoy

Now all I need is the right phone to read it…