QR code above urinal at the Volta exhibition during the Armory Art Show March 2011 (Picture taken by the author. Click to enlarge)

We can observe more and more adoption of QR codes and their pervasiveness. In Asia you find these codes anywhere in the meantime and they allow quick responses usually by use of a smart phone’s QR reader.

I have seen them above urinals (in the mens’ room at the Volta Exhibit during the Armory Art Show in NYC last March, see right–the codel leads to a web page from collectors for collectors) as well as on city walls, in art and many other places.

In Florida there is now a bus line where you can get the schedule by pointing your smart phone to a plaque at the bus stop.

But this report is hinting to a novel use for QR codes: QR Code on Tombstone Creates Dynamic Memorial.

Here the picture of the QR code enhanced tombstone in Israel:

Tombstone with a message. The message points to a memorial website. (Image as it appears in the article)

QR code from picture above

On the right is the code from the picture above:

The guy who ordered the tombstone said: “Scanning the QR code leads visitors to a tribute website that Medan has setup and plans to evolve with stories and photos from his mother’s life. “I [didn’t] know what we wanted to write [on the tombstone] and it will never be everything for everyone. By having something that is dynamic and can extend over time, we can capture it.”

Update (Jan. 2012): QR-Codes in National Parks

QR Codes in Ding Darling National Refuge. Image by the author

On a recent visit to the J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island, Florida I noticed, that explanations about the wildlife are using QR codes on posts for adults and in a separate version for children.

The J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is located on the subtropical barrier island of Sanibel in the Gulf of Mexico. The refuge is part of the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the United States. It is world famous for its spectacular migratory bird populations.

J. N. “Ding” Darling is one of over 550 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System administered by the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service. (Quote from the official web site)

The QR-Codes help the visitors to get in-depth information on the wildlife and the ecosystem.

Update (March 2012): QR-Codes for Grocery Shopping in Subways

I think that QR codes can play an important role to get people to get hooked. Although I recently reported on the dangers of malicious QR codes I think that we are really under-utilizing this technology in the Western World. What are we missing — where do you see other creative uses of QR codes?

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