New QR code to have colours, will hold more data: Masahiro Hara, QR inventor

BILKULONLINE

Ahmedabad, Jan 27: Japanese engineer Masahiro Hara, known for inventing the common ‘QR code’ system nearly 30 years ago, announced on Friday that he is now working on a new version of it. Unlike the present black and white design, the new version will have more colours and may be rectangular in shape rather than current square pattern, said engineer Hara who is in India on his maiden visit.

The new QR (quick response) code will be designed in such a way that it will be able to store more information compared to the present design, said Hara. Hara was invited by the Karnavati University in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar to address students as part of a three-day event.

When asked as to what is going to be the new QR code like, “I am in the process of inventing a new QR code. It will take some time though. Unlike the current version, the new code system will have colours and it may be rectangular rather than the present square shape,” Hara replied to BILKULONLINE.  is on his maiden trip to India, stated.

The new QR (quick response) code will be designed in such a way that it will be able to store more information compared to the present design, said Hara. Hara was invited by the Karnavati University in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar to address students as part of a three-day event, ‘Ahmedabad Design Week 4.0.’ which began on Friday.

The QR code system was developed in 1994 while Hara was working for a Japanese company. According to experts, the QR code can hold hundred times more information than a barcode because of its design.

While the system was primarily invented to cater to manufacturing and retail industries, the QR code system has found many uses today, such as for making UPI (Unified Payments Interface) payments, using smart phones or to track COVID-19 vaccination beneficiaries.