When was the first qr code invented

Since early this year it has been deployed in everything, from customer check-ins at restaurants to digital menus and contactless payments , and is used in contact-chasing apps in several countries, including the system used by the NHS.

In — the year the QR code received ISO certification — the technology began to find its way into daily life in Japan , first on betting slips at horse races to quickly identify winning bets. Though not a gambler, Hara recalled feeling a sense of pride whenever he spotted his invention on betting slips discarded on the street by disappointed punters. But it was the development of smartphone cameras that brought the QR code into widespread use, with in-built apps allowing people to quickly scan arrays of dots to access websites and claim discount coupons.

In the aftermath of a major earthquake or other natural disaster, aid workers could scan QR codes belonging to sick evacuees to make quick diagnoses and arrange for appropriate medical care. But its inventor — who named the code on his birthday, 8 August — has no desire to occupy the limelight. The amount of digits in the codes were increased, layout was modified to include multiple codes, etc. However, these modifications came with drawbacks as well.

The size of the barcode and printing space it needed increased, thus raising costs of printing. In response to the increasing demands for storage capacity, functionality, accuracy, etc. People are increasingly turning to QR codes to access information, and, more recently, pay for goods and services.

The technology was the brainchild of an engineer at Aichi-based manufacturer Denso. We interviewed the inventor, who shared some surprising facts about how the codes came about. QR codes are now so ubiquitous that hardly a day goes by without seeing one. What is more, novel uses are constantly being though up. Recently, the codes have even begun to appear on gravestones as part of a service that provides information on the deceased.

Denso engineer Hara Masahiro invented the QR code 25 years ago. The division where he worked was subsequently split off into a subsidiary named Denso Wave, where he now holds the post of chief engineer. Hara says that the company previously used barcodes to keep track of parts, but that the system was inefficient. Hara Masahiro, chief engineer at Denso Wave. A QR code is characterized by a two-dimensional pattern of square black and white dots.