What Are QR Codes?
Quick-response (QR) codes are simple pixelated square barcodes that contain data. They allows the user to easily access websites, videos, text, maps, photos, or instant messaging info using a camera-enabled mobile device and a free QR code learning app. There are many free resources for generating and learning QR codes for almost every smartphone or tablet with a camera, making them an easy and inexpensive way for students to access media on their mobile phones.
Two types of QR codes are available – static and flexible. STATIC QR codes contain data that can be changed once the QR code has been printed. DYNAMIC QR codes include a short URL contained in the QR code itself, which allows users to change when the short URL redirects even if the QR code is already printed. There is different Online QR Code Generators available on the Google.
As A Scientist, Why Do You Care About QR Codes?
The limited time and space allocated to research findings often limit the ability of scientists to talk about potential impacts of our work. Now more than ever, we are looking for creative and effective ways to communicate with different people about scientific topics. QR codes provide an opportunity to expand our research and connect with people in a variety of ways. Content linked to the QR code, for example, may be used to describe a broad sample protocol for data collection that includes images or videos. The QR code may be added to the conference poster or to the GST Billing Software or to the final presentation slide to give the audience the opportunity to track and learn more, to link users to the author’s research website or more information. The author may also provide a QR code within a science article that provides access to a researcher data set or analytics tools. This helps to clarify the analytical strategies between scientific studies that address the same content.
Outside of the scientific community, QR codes allow scientists to expand their work beyond peer-reviewed journals with limited reading to engage a wider audience. There are many examples of such programs, including parks and protected areas where QR codes are used to enhance the learning experience of the visitor. For example, visitors to
Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida can access educational videos and additional photos near the shelter system that offers the opportunity to connect people to place in an interactive and curious way. By using QR codes, the shelter provides additional information to visitors with less visible signals, thus keeping the routes natural and visitors engaging. Here is an example of a QR code-based video from Pelican Island.
QR Codes Already Connect People with Science
- Enhance Your Next Conference Poster with Video
- Modern Technology in Historical Paper
- Travel Guide to Weather Information – Live webinar video archive from the NOAA Climate Steward program
- World Wildlife Fund: Ice QR Codes
- National Park Service using QR codes: What?
McGraw-Hill connects users of interactive textbooks and study modules with QR codes
Successful Map-Based Reading Test Guide for Mobile Devices
There are pros and cons to each type of QR code. Most QR generators offer free QR codes, while dynamic QR codes are usually only available for a paid subscription. The website URL that appears when scanning a QR code may be more visible than the dynamic QR code URL, as the static code sends you directly to the target website, instead of using the abbreviated redirect URL first. Additionally, static QR codes allow websites to track how many users access a site through QR scans (more sophisticated methods may be required for dynamic QR codes). The final URL information contained within the flexible QR codes can be edited as often as needed without re-printing the code, making the conversion codes very versatile.
