QR technology, which is used by the whole world and recognized as soon as they see it, also has a birth story! Moreover, this story shows that QR codes were not even created to be used as we are used to today. What kind of journey from the past to the present made QR what we know today?
Before QR, there was barcode. Then the emergence of the QR code left behind a giant invention such as the barcode, which had been used since the 1950s. We cannot say that the QR code was created with the desire to replace the barcode; but considering the process from yesterday to today, it is possible to easily understand the reasons for the popularization of QR codes.
An unexpected relocation story: From the use of barcodes to the use of QR codes
When talking about the birth of the QR code, it is impossible not to mention barcodes; because we know that although the main goal is not to replace the barcode, QR technology has involuntarily taken on the image of a better alternative to replace the barcode.
The high growth rate of the Japanese economy in the 1960s led to the opening of supermarkets in Japan where various products were sold together. During this shopping spree, cash registers could read prices manually. This meant that employees entered all prices manually one by one. This situation led to serious health problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome and numbness in the wrists of the cashiers. All these experiences led to the development of barcode technology and the punctuation of the use of manual cash registers in stores.
Why was the barcode insufficient?
The barcode was discovered as a result of a need and used to meet that need for a certain period of time; but its one-dimensional structure has caused new needs to emerge day by day and barcodes are insufficient. Because barcodes were one-dimensional, they could only be read from top to bottom and therefore could store a limited amount of data. Also, for the same reason, the reading speeds were quite low.
What is a QR code?
QR code, which stands for “Quick Response”, was first invented in 1994. Thanks to its double-dimensionality, unlike the barcode, the QR code can be read both from top to bottom and from right to left; thus, it is known for being a technology that can store much more data and be used quickly. Developed by the Japanese company Denso Wave under the leadership of Masahiro Hara, the QR code was originally created for use in the automotive industry. The QR code, which is expected to be used to track both cars and auto parts in the manufacturing process, has taken its current form over time after it won the Good Design Award in industrial design in 2012; In addition to the automobile industry, it has started to be used for different purposes in different sectors.
Masahiro Hara and his team did not expect this!
When QR code crossed the automobile industry and met with completely different usage areas, eyes were of course turned to the inventor of this successful invention. Masahiro Hara, astonished at the point the QR code has reached: “I felt that I had developed something great, I predicted that it would be used a lot in the industry in the future; however, it was not something I expected to be used by everyone. Used as a payment method. This was completely unexpected.”
QR code was gifted to humanity
Denso Wave set a throne by displaying an exemplary behavior as a lesson to the whole world. The creative company did not claim a patent for the QR code, which seems to fill a huge gap in the business world! Thus, the QR code was shared in a way that would be open to the use of the whole world, and was given to humanity as a gift.
If you were to sign such an invention, would you be as generous as Denso Wave when it comes to patent rights? You can share your ideas and opinions in the comments.
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