A reflection on QR code

QR code is ubiquitous. We all use cell phones to scan QR codes. QR stands for quick response.

QR code is two dimensional. In Chinese, QR code is called two dimensional code (二維碼）。 The earlier bar code is one dimensional. Being one dimensional, it needs laser light to scan. Laser light is of single frequency. It can scan more precisely than normal light, which is a mixture of light with different frequencies. QR code is two dimensional. It contains more information and more robust to scanning with lower accuracy. That’s why we can scan QR code, but not bar code, with cell phones.

Most languages in the world are alphabetical, which are one dimensional. But Chinese and a few other languages are two dimensional. It is much easier to scan, or read Chinese than alphabetical languages. That is why a native Chinese speaker reads Chinese much faster than a native English speaker reads English.

QR code was invented by a Japanese. Japanese language is a two dimensional language. It is fitting that a Japanese invented QR code.