Enabling Multiple QR Codes in Close Proximity
This addresses a practical issue for industrial and consumer applications using QR codes, but it is incremental as it modifies the code design rather than solving a broader scanning software challenge.
The paper tackled the problem of scanning failures and incorrect resource access when multiple QR codes are placed close together, by designing a new type of QR code that is compatible with existing scanners. In an evaluation with 20 users, the new codes were as usable as traditional ones and superior for selecting one from many, though users had initial difficulty discovering how to use them.
Quick response codes - 2D patterns that can be scanned to access online resources - are being used in a variety of industrial and consumer applications. However, it is problematic to use multiple QR codes in close proximity: scans can fail or result in access to the wrong resource. While this problem is, strictly speaking, due to the design of the scanning software, the very large number of extant scanning applications makes changing the software a difficult logistical challenge. Instead, we describe the design of a new type of QR code that not only enables the use of multiple QR codes in close proximity, but also is compatible with existing scanning solutions. In an evaluation with 20 users, it was found that the new QR codes were as usable as traditional ones, and that they were superior for selecting one code from many. Users did have initial difficulty in discovering how to use the new QR code, so further work is required on that front. We conclude with a discussion of the pros and cons of pQR codes.