Hi, agree with Mike Ellis' comments, with one addition.
For people who find typing difficult/are not greatly literate something like a QR code can help them access information more reliably.
We (small project on accessibility in museums, iMuse) experimented last year in a couple of small museums and the results are at:
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=17068126
Physically having the QR code on a vertical wall like a traditional label, and small, didn't work well. Having the code on a fairly large label, which had other ways of showing information (e.g. with symbols), attached near the object by a length of tape, helped enormously (i.e. bring the QR code to the device rather than trying to line the mobile device up with the QR code).
For those who found even this alignment difficult, the elderly, small children, motor-related disabilities, mounting a QR code reader (in our case, an iPad on a box on a trolley) which you could slip the label under also helped. Great for detective decoding games around the museum too.
So, something other than typing-in is good for some visitors, not necessarily a QR code of course but this seems more universal than image recognition at the moment.
Next to whatever it is you always need to put the URL so that those without a QR reader can get to it, and also to give a little comfort that you know where you are going. A professional looking label, well laminated, also cuts down on the potential for a miscreant sticking their own code over yours.
Hmm, I guess our experience would suggest that carving in stone is the exact opposite of what could be useful about QR codes (apart from this security). However, I can see it might be an interesting, fun, if expensive, marketing gimmick for a few years. Redirection is absolutely essential. But which redirecting service will be here in a few years....
Annette
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From: Museums Computer Group [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of J DAVIS [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 11 December 2013 10:19
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MCG] QR codes bad or good
Hi Alun,
Being able to get wifi or mobile signal where you want people to get information is still the biggest problem in many areas of the country.
I'm not convinced that QR codes will still be here in 10 years' time but they are being used on gravestones so maybe there will be enough vested interest to keep them going. I'd suggested mosaic to someone a couple of years ago who was very keen on using them in a garden.
Most of the examples of QR codes on gravestones seem to be small steel plaques with it printed on, or engraving + painting, but I've seen examples of some carved that seem not to use paint eg http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/codes-carved-in-stone-tell-tale-of-deceased-208617.html - and they could be in patterns other than squares such as the cross example on http://www.stone-ideas.com/2012/06/01/art-an-angel-with-a-mobile-phone-and-qr-codes-for-gravestones/ .
Personally, I'd prefer to have software that uses GPS & image recognition but there's still little sign that enough people agree with me on that.
Janet
Janet E Davis
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