QR Code Technology

QR Code Technology

(QUICK RESPONSE CODE)

 

Hey, welcome back to our blog. It’s been a few weeks since our last input. We hope everyone is doing well. Everyone has heard of QR codes, everyone has seen them in restaurants and quite possibly everyone has even had their own during the Covid-19 pandemic. Let’s take a deeper look at where QR codes come from and why they are useful. A quick response (QR) code is a kind of barcode that a digital device can read easily and that encodes data as a series of pixels in a grid of squares. In marketing and advertising initiatives, QR codes are widely used to track information about products in a supply chain.

 

You don’t understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother!

(Albert Einstein)

Understanding QR Codes:

In the 1990s, QR codes were created to offer more information than a typical barcode. They were developed by Denso Wave, a Toyota subsidiary, to track cars as they were being manufactured. QR codes may be read digitally by devices like mobile phones, unlike barcodes, which need a beam of light to bounce off the parallel lines.

A piece of specialized software is used to scan QR codes, which are made up of black squares organized in a grid (or matrix) on a white background. The programme can extract data from the patterns found in the matrix. These codes can handle four different data types: alphabetic, numeric, binary, and kanji, and can store more data than regular barcodes.

In cryptocurrency systems like displaying, one's Bitcoin address, QR codes are being used to facilitate digital payments. Additionally, QR codes are increasingly being utilized to send site addresses to mobile devices.

Brief History of QR Codes:

Know that we understand QR codes, let’s look at a brief history of QR codes and where they came from. The usage of technology lessens people's labour-intensive tasks. It serves a particular purpose, much as the invention of QR codes. The Japanese economy entered a period of rapid development in the beginning of the 1960s. Supermarkets and convenience stores are thriving at this time and are selling a variety of goods, from food to clothing. The usage of cash registers was introduced to meet the need for checkout counters. Cashiers working at checkout counters get carpal tunnel syndrome and endure wrist numbness because of manually entering transactions and taking payments. The Point of Sale (POS) system was created as a remedy for the issue and included the usage of barcodes. Over time, developers became aware of the issue barcodes continue to hold. The 20 alphanumeric character restriction was insufficient for storing product information, and the way a barcode is scanned causes scan failures. A new kind of barcode that could contain more data and could be scanned in any scanner orientation was created by Denso Wave as a result. As a result, the proliferation of QR codes, which were introduced in 1994 and continue to be used today, has changed the course of history.

Types of QR Codes:

There are two types of QR Codes: Static and Dynamic

STATIC QR CODES:

Static QR codes are cost-free and always present. Since this kind of QR code cannot be altered, the information it contains cannot be altered. Links to social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest as well as email addresses, URLs, SMS, and WIFI passwords can all be linked using this method. Static QR codes have the following three characteristics: 

• It is a single-use QR code. 
• There is a limit to how much data can be kept. 
• The likelihood of compromising the QR code's quality increases if you generate a static QR code with more data. 
• Use of it is free.                                                                                                                                

This type of QR code can be seen on advertisements, posters, or someone’s business card. They typically do not hold any personal or private data and will redirect to a website or email address of the creators choosing.

DYNAMIC QR CODES:

Dynamic QR codes are those that can store extra data even after being printed on paper and can have their content changed. This QR code type gives users better access to real-time scan monitoring and scan locations. The following characteristics of dynamic QR codes include, but are not limited to:

•  Even after your QR code has been printed or used, you can still change it and add or remove URLs because it uses a quick dynamic URL to store information online.
• Users can view their QR analytics data because the QR code scans are trackable. QR code password protection and email notification features integrated with Google Analytics
• For QR codes, Google Tag Manager has an expiry function.

      This type of QR code can be found on sporting event tickets, personal health records during the Covid-19 pandemic, Calgary transit ticket system, and even scan to pay on the Tim Hortons app, if you use it.

URL QR Codes:

Websites, printed materials like brochures, flyers, and catalogues, business cards, instruction, and storefront windows are all places where QR codes are used. Here are the 6 steps for creating a URL QR code:

•       Visit QRTIGER, the top online generator of QR codes.
•       Select "URL" from the menu's categories.
•       In the space provided below, enter the link you want to create.
•      Select dynamic QR Code
•      Choose a set of patterns, eyes, and colors for your QR code, then add your logo to give it personality. 
•      Download your QR code and run a test to determine if it functions properly or not.

 

QR Use Cases:

QR technology have had quite the resurgence especially in recent years. There is almost an infinite amount of uses for them in modern day scenarios and they are incredibly practical as you can either present them or scan them using the built-in features of your smart phone. Here in the city QR codes are prevalent in an array of activities regarding everyday life. Trains, busses, and subways have started uses QR codes opposed for tickets and data, a quick scan gives anyone trying to commute a way of accessing or getting information on the given services. Public events such as concerts, sports games and more have utilized them as well for a similar purpose, they allow the workers of the events to instantaneously get your ticket information after an initial scan of your code, allowing for quick entry at the gates. Restaurants also utilize QR technology to allow quick, effortless access to their menus without having to present a physical piece of paper to the consumer. These are just a few of the use cases for QR codes and the possibilities surrounding them just continue to present themselves.

SCAN ME

Pros of QR technology:

SIZE

- Typically, QR-Codes are relatively tiny in size. They won't take up much room on your product, booklet, banner advertisement, or wherever else you decide to utilize them.

SIMPLICITY

- Our smartphone camera can read QR-Codes; therefore, a specific gadget is not needed to decipher the information.

STORAGE

- A significant quantity of data may be stored in a QR-Code. Typically, they can hold up to 4296 characters or 7089 numbers. Data in the form of images, videos, URLs, etc. can be stored by them.

 

COVID QR:

During the year 2019, the global pandemic dubbed as the Corona virus was felt around the world and made everyday life drastically different. This is where the resurgence of QR technology and the presence of the codes became much more apparent. Firstly, with everyone having to get a vaccine to enjoy usual everyday activities, QR technology made presenting proof of your vaccination simple. Official Alberta-issued COVID-19 vaccination records were accessible through a QR code. When travelling abroad or within Canada, QR immunization documentation met the Canadian criteria and was able to be utilized for those purposes.

QRs don’t have to be in physical form, you can save it to your phone or print your record out if you’d like. This factor was crucial as contactless interactions were tremendously encouraged since multiple hands touching a physical copy could cause the spread of the disease. With, as aforementioned; dining out, public events, commuting and more utilized QR codes to help halt the transmission of COVID-19.

In November of 2021, Alberta residents needed to show proof of vaccine to enter a restaurant, gym or any indoor venue like a movie or arena. Everyone who had the covid-19 vaccine was given a personal QR code, that shop or venue workers could scan to prove legitimacy. Around 80% of the population of Alberta had at least one shot and were eligible for a QR code that could be downloaded onto their phone or printed onto a piece of paper.

Not long after, and still today, most restaurants were not giving out paper menus to customers. They had a sticker of a QR code on the table that patrons could scan to pull a menu up on their phone. This was used to stop the transmission of the disease. It is still used today in some locations, or they offer both a paper menu, and a QR code menu that you can decide from.

 

An example of a personal health record in a QR code

It will be interesting to see what the future has in store for QR codes. They can only hold a certain amount of data, so have we reached the limit that we can take them? One thing is for sure, is that they aren’t going away any time soon. They have become an easy way to get information across without the need to type URL links into browsers, to add contacts in phones or to access a website from an advertisement.

This might be our last blog input for a few weeks, we would love if you could share or comment below and let us know what you think! Thanks for reading and have a great day.

 

REFRENCES:

·   "QR Code Readers for iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows Phone 7". 7 December 2010. Archived from the original on 25 August 2011.

·   "QR Code.com". Denso-Wave. 6 November 2003. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2009.

·   "Embedding Secret Data in QR Code". Retrieved 29 October 2018.

·   "QR Code Standardization". QR Code.com. Denso-Wave. Archived from the original on 10 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.

·   "Behind Every Smart Product is Smart Packaging | Future Food Asia". futurefoodasia.com. Retrieved 24 June 2020.

·  Alberta Covid Records. [Online]. Available: https://covidrecords.alberta.ca/home.[Accessed: 29-Nov-2022].

·  “QR codes - working, usage, Pros & Cons: SecurePass,” Contactless Door Access Control System. [Online]. Available: https://thesecurepass.com/blog/qr-code-working-usage#:~:text=Advantages%3A%2D&text=Easier%20to%20scan%3A%2D%20QR,7089%20digits%20or%204296%20characters.[Accessed: 29-Nov-2022].

·  F. N. Media, “50 creative uses of QR codes in Marketing & Communications,” takeflyte, 21-Jan-2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.takeflyte.com/blog/50-creative-uses-of-qr-codes.[Accessed: 29-Nov-2022].

 

3D Printing in Healthcare

When you think of 3D printing, you probably imagine something futuristic. It might be interesting to know that 3D printing can be traced back all the way to the early 1980s. Even though when we think of 3D printing, we think of modern technology, the under lying technology that we know today as 3D printing has been in development for over 3 decades.  

 

The term "3D printing technology," also known as "additive manufacturing" (AM), refers to techniques used to produce 3D objects in which material is created in layers under computer control to produce a real-world object. For more information about the history of 3D Printing, feel free to view the video that we have put together below:

More schools are using 3D printers in the classroom in recent years. This is due to the cost of this technology becoming cheaper and cheaper. The versatility of 3D printers makes them ideal for usage in educational settings. You may build functioning prototypes, historical models, demonstration models, project pieces, and much more with 3D printing. Also, in recent years, due to the commercialization of 3D printing, its essence has become more prevalent in the field of health services.

 

The first 3D printed kidney was created in the year 2000, but it would take another 13 years for it to be implanted into a patient. Today, we can see 3D printing as a major advancement in all fields throughout healthcare. From research and development to clinical, we are going to explore some of the ways that 3D printing is helping the field of medicine.  

 

Affordable Prosthetics

One of the most successful innovations of 3D printing in the field of healthcare, is the process of creating prosthetics. Children often outgrow their prosthetic quickly, within a few years, and the average lifespan for an adult prosthetic is only 5 years. These can cost thousands of dollars in the United States and are often paid out of pocket then covered by insurance. 3D printing prosthetics are changing the face of medicine, as physicians can work with engineers to develop fully customized limbs for the patient. The cost is reduced by hundreds if not thousands of dollars, and they are able to be produced faster. This has helped people not only in developed countries, but also third world countries where war has left many people with missing limbs. Machines can be taken or given to countries in an aid effort, where they might not have access to this type of equipment normally, and train doctors and engineers there.

(An example of a 3D printed prosthetic)

Bioprinting

Bioprinting is a process like 3D printing to create organs and tissues. This can include bones, blood vessels, ears/noses, and synthetic skin and organs. Bioprinting uses cells and biomaterials, to create organ-like structures that let living cells multiply. It is a relatively recent technology, but the potential in the medical field is enormous. One example of bioprinting comes from the University of Alberta and Misericordia Community Hospital in Edmonton. Canadian scientists have used bioprinting to help skin cancer patients by mixing real human nose cartilage cells with a soft hydrogel. Although it has not been implanted onto a person yet, hopefully they will be able to soon. Another form of bioprinting that can help patients around the world, is synthetic skin. In 2017, US and Madrid researchers developed a protype of a 3D printer that can create synthetic skin. This can be a significant step forward for burn victims. It can also be used in research and testing of cosmetic and chemical products. This could also save the lives of many animals, that were used in the past when testing these types of products.

 

Surgical Instruments / Medical Devices

For medical device manufacturers, 3D printing in-house allows for quick and easy prototyping. For end user facilities, such as hospitals or clinics, 3D printing can help fill gaps where the supply chain is limited, by 3D printing the tools they need, when they need them. During Covid-19, many hospitals around the world were faced with a shortage of nasal swabs. Since they were needed to determine if a patient was infected, they were in high demand to say the least. A 3D printed porotype was created by Form labs, and the files were made available to health networks worldwide. Along with the file, Form labs developed a detailed workflow with guidelines for healthcare professionals worldwide to print the swabs and ensure health and safety guidelines were followed. This file was downloaded in over 25 countries and allowed for over 70 million swabs to be taken on patients worldwide. This is just one of many examples of how 3D printing can help medical facilities around the world when supply chain issues arise.

(Examples of medical tools that were 3D Printed)

Medical Student Learning Instruments

3D printing is emerging as a technology that is widely used in medical education. Students can conduct relevant training and research on realistic models that are customized for any scenario. With cadavers, this could only be done for so long before the body starts to decompose, or they have already practiced the medical surgery and it can no longer be done in a way that would be suitable for real training. Animals were also used as training before, but they are not suited for more advanced surgery training as this should be done on something as close to a real body as possible. Using the traditional methods can be costly and requires the trainee many hours of apprenticeship observations before gaining the required skillset it takes to perform such surgeries. 3D printing can create realistic, accurate models of the human body in less time, at a fraction of the cost of the traditional methods. This gives the trainee more hours of training with less drawbacks and gets them ready for real world scenarios in a faster time.

 

3D printing has already proven itself for the enormous potential it has in the future of medicine, and it is still developing. 3D printing in medicine is one of the most disruptive technologies that could have the potential to change medicine and healthcare around the world, by making care more affordable, accessible, and personalized. What the future has in store is unknown, but from what we can see so far, the path that is being paved out is looking great for humanity. Making prosthetics and implants cheaper, quickly printing needed equipment in parts of the world that might not have access to these tools and 3D printing models of the human body for education and learning uses for medical students, are just some of the many examples in how 3D printing is changing the field of medicine. As 3D printers become more advanced, more lives are being saved every day from technology that has been around for over 40 years but is just getting started in the field of medicine. 

References

1.  "Most used 3D printing technologies 2017–2018 | Statistic". Statista. Retrieved 2 December 2018
2.  Cooper, Kenneth G. (2001). Rapid prototyping technology : selection and application. New York: Marcel Dekker
3.  Bejerano, Pablo G. (28 September 2018). "Barcelona researcher develops 3D printer that makes 'steaks'". El País. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
4.  "3D Printing Overhang: How to 3D Print Overhangs". All3DP. 16 June 2021.Retrieved 11 October 2021.