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In 1994, the QR Code was developed by Masahiro Hara for DENSO WAVE, member of the Toyota group, to support the changes in the automotive industry. A barcode with an increased capacity to hold more information was required. Besides being able to store and provide more information, this new code added the advantage of being more resistant to dirt and damage than 1D barcodes. They are also easy to read with mobile computers for easy data collection.

Nowadays, QR Codes are not only found in the automotive industry, but practically everywhere. The corona pandemic has enhanced the use and importance of the versatile 2D Codes even more and QR Codes have proven to be more than just a gimmick. In the fight against the corona virus, QR Codes have been playing a significant role – from entrance controls and ticketing to testing and even in the development of the digital vaccination pass. Particularly retail and dining sought touch-free options to stay afloat during the pandemic, which is where the QR Code comes in: The 2D code can keep customers from having to touch everything from payment terminals at the POS to pens and menus. Additionally, QR Codes can be used to further develop contactless payment technology, which has also been used more frequently due to the pandemic.

In reaction to the demands of today’s ever-changing industries and to digitalisation processes, DENSO WAVE EUROPE has created more models of its QR Code, for example, the Secure QR Code or SQRC® for short.

Contactless payment technology is on the rise

The contactless payment technology at the POS in retail was already on the rise before the corona pandemic due to the expansion of digital technology and the increasing demand for more convenience. According to Marketing Tech News, the global contactless payment technology market is anticipated to reach almost $4.7 trillion by 2027. Hence, QR Codes have become a popular solution for connecting the digital and physical worlds. More information on the significance of QR Codes for the contactless revolution can be found here.

Another factor that pushes the use of QR Codes is how easily they can be read: QR Codes can simply be scanned with smartphones and mobile computers with their in-built camera – no separate app or POS system is required. And in case a company seeks a faster solution, DENSO can offer its QR Code reader QRQR, which is a smartphone application with the latest high-speed reading function from the member of the Toyota group.

Risks are also associated with QR Codes though, security being the biggest one. Companies must ensure that their technology is strong enough to safeguard customers. DENSO WAVE EUROPE is aware of the risks and has thus developed a more advanced version of its QR Code – the Secure QR Code (SQRC®). In addition, more QR Code models that can be used for various occasions have been created as well.

The QR Code models from DENSO and their benefits

The SQRC® from DENSO can encrypt parts of one’s personal data and thus renders the 2D code more secure. This secure version of the QR Code is already used extensively for ticket bookings, in the health sector for patient tracking, and for product authentication. While common mobile computers can read the public data of the SQRC®, only data collection devices from DENSO can decipher the confidential encrypted data with a special encryption key stored inside the device. With DENSO's cloud-based Q-Revo system this decryption process can be managed for other mobile data collection devices, such as mobile phones, if required. With the SQRC® from DENSO no personal information is stored insecurely on a server. Therefore, the risks related to data protection are reduced.

Beyond ticket bookings, patient tracking, product authentication or contactless payment technology transactions, companies use QR Codes as a special feature to offer sales or to engage with the team on their company social media platform, for instance. Therefore, DENSO has also created the FrameQR®, a special QR Code model for integrating images. This QR Code provides a framework that is used to capture an image. Since the shape and color of the frame can be changed flexibly, it can be used in a variety of ways. Numerous FrameQR® can be generated with the Q-Platform cloud solution by DENSO. Thus, security is always guaranteed, as the Q-Platform server generated codes itself. The server also offers a read function. Additionally, the FrameQR® offers counterfeit protection and traceability as a combination of hologram and QR Code can be used.

All in all, QR Codes can be used in various ways and the pandemic has shown that the demand is increasing. With DENSO’s various models of the QR Code, the benefits outweigh the risks and provide customers with a safe, more convenient way to purchase a product or service.