QRCodes in GeoCaches - talesofthings

[Smithee11]

I thought i would see if people think its useful to add qrcodes to geocaches. I have just added our first one to a cache as part of an academic project called 'talesofthings'. The project collects memories of objects and places and links them to qrcodes/rfid tags which are placed on objects and given a geolocation. Its featured in New Scientist and various other places recently.

 

As such, and as a geocaching fan, i thought it might fit well with the geocaching community, its free, the tags are read/write/ its non-profit with an open api coming soon. Each time you add an object the site creates a qrcode and a unique page for your 'thing'. Indeed i was wondering if it could be integrated as a free tool perhaps.

 

It also allows objects to 'tweet' when scanned so caches could tweet when found and when memories are added.

 

You can see our first cache at: http://www.talesofthings.com/totem/totem_view/316/

 

and create your own tags at http://www.talesofthings.com/

 

Any thoughts would be great,

 

Andy of http://www.digitalurban.blogspot.com

Edited May 4, 2010 by Smithee11

[tiiiim]

Sounds fun! Here at the University they're (finally) trialling QR codes on coursework submissions - unfortunately, they don't have the correct equipment yet so some poor admin bod has to use an iPhone to scan each bit of work in individually and then upload the images to the network: not really the idea, but that's institutions for you!!

 

Anyway, I was looking at QR codes a while back, and couldn't find anything which would just take in an image (be it online or a native app) for my Ubuntu netbook: has this changed since?

 

Also, be prepared for all the people with "only works with a smartphone and I'll be darned if I'm caching with one of those...."

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I thought i would see if people think its useful to add qrcodes to geocaches. I have just added our first one to a cache as part of an academic project called 'talesofthings'. The project collects memories of objects and places and links them to qrcodes/rfid tags which are placed on objects and given a geolocation. Its featured in New Scientist and various other places recently.

 

As such, and as a geocaching fan, i thought it might fit well with the geocaching community, its free, the tags are read/write/ its non-profit with an open api coming soon. Each time you add an object the site creates a qrcode and a unique page for your 'thing'. Indeed i was wondering if it could be integrated as a free tool perhaps.

 

It also allows objects to 'tweet' when scanned so caches could tweet when found and when memories are added.

 

You can see our first cache at: http://www.talesofthings.com/totem/totem_view/316/

 

and create your own tags at http://www.talesofthings.com/

 

Any thoughts would be great,

 

Andy of http://www.digitalurban.blogspot.com

 

I solved a puzzle cache in Paris before a visit last month that included a QR code. I've seen a couple of interesting applications of QR codes that are not geocaching related. I came across an library online catalog that produces a QR code when view item detail from search results. You no longer need to write down an item catalog number. Just take a picture of the QR code and carry the number, title, author, etc into the stacks to find the item.

 

The other one I have used is on a flight status site. Look up flight numbers on the main site and the detail view will contain a QR code which contains a link to a dynamic page so that you can quickly get flight status information.

[+DENelson83]

I'm thinking the best application of QR codes in the geocaching world would be on Travel Bug tags.

[+Borst68]

There is a cache near me , GC27VHN, that uses the QR code. I tried to install Neoreader on my BB Storm and it wouldn't work. Apparently its a known issue with the Storm. I picked up another app (forget the name). It worked but would only identify QR codes created at their site. The CO has a test QR on the cache page that the app I had couldn't identify. The cache in question does not list what site/software app needs to be used. While I like the idea of using something new like the QR code, it appears to be a major PITA if I have to install a pile of different apps and hope I have the right one. Am I missing something here? I am not knowledgeable as far as this whole QR code is concerned so I may well be wrong about this.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

There is a cache near me , GC27VHN, that uses the QR code. I tried to install Neoreader on my BB Storm and it wouldn't work. Apparently its a known issue with the Storm. I picked up another app (forget the name). It worked but would only identify QR codes created at their site. The CO has a test QR on the cache page that the app I had couldn't identify. The cache in question does not list what site/software app needs to be used.

 

If it did, it probably wouldn't be published due to the "no downloads required" guideline. The fact that it doesn't specifically name an app that must be used eliminates the "requirement". I've seen caches with traditional bar codes that could be solved "manually" with a sufficient understanding of the barcode formats.

 

That said, I've had the best luck with the BeeTagg QR code reader. I don't know how well it works on a Storm but the Storm is on the long list of mobile phones it supports.

[+Borst68]

There is a cache near me , GC27VHN, that uses the QR code. I tried to install Neoreader on my BB Storm and it wouldn't work. Apparently its a known issue with the Storm. I picked up another app (forget the name). It worked but would only identify QR codes created at their site. The CO has a test QR on the cache page that the app I had couldn't identify. The cache in question does not list what site/software app needs to be used.

 

If it did, it probably wouldn't be published due to the "no downloads required" guideline. The fact that it doesn't specifically name an app that must be used eliminates the "requirement". I've seen caches with traditional bar codes that could be solved "manually" with a sufficient understanding of the barcode formats.

 

That said, I've had the best luck with the BeeTagg QR code reader. I don't know how well it works on a Storm but the Storm is on the long list of mobile phones it supports.

 

Thanks for your help. I'll give it a try!

[+Borst68]

There is a cache near me , GC27VHN, that uses the QR code. I tried to install Neoreader on my BB Storm and it wouldn't work. Apparently its a known issue with the Storm. I picked up another app (forget the name). It worked but would only identify QR codes created at their site. The CO has a test QR on the cache page that the app I had couldn't identify. The cache in question does not list what site/software app needs to be used.

 

If it did, it probably wouldn't be published due to the "no downloads required" guideline. The fact that it doesn't specifically name an app that must be used eliminates the "requirement". I've seen caches with traditional bar codes that could be solved "manually" with a sufficient understanding of the barcode formats.

 

That said, I've had the best luck with the BeeTagg QR code reader. I don't know how well it works on a Storm but the Storm is on the long list of mobile phones it supports.

 

Thanks for your help. I'll give it a try!

:ph34r: Thanks! It worked on the test QR code posted on the cache page. Should work fine.

[+OlatheGIS]

I work for a local government and we've just started using QRCodes in our parks and downtown art exhibits. Concurrently, those of us in the IT dept who resisted the iLemming craze have recently latched on to the Evo - and lemme tell you - Android rocks at QR codes.

 

Of course, being a geocacher wanna-be, my first thought was how can I use this in the field? Given GC's restrictions, I wondered if it could be as simple as creating a QRCode that simply takes the GC'er to the log page of the cache? Or maybe coordinates to a bonus cache? That way it wouldn't be *required*, just darn convenient.

[+9Key]

I use Microsoft's version of the QR code in one of my puzzle caches. Works well and I might use the QR in a multi at some point.

[+dakboy]

There is a cache near me , GC27VHN, that uses the QR code. I tried to install Neoreader on my BB Storm and it wouldn't work. Apparently its a known issue with the Storm. I picked up another app (forget the name). It worked but would only identify QR codes created at their site. The CO has a test QR on the cache page that the app I had couldn't identify. The cache in question does not list what site/software app needs to be used.

 

If it did, it probably wouldn't be published due to the "no downloads required" guideline. The fact that it doesn't specifically name an app that must be used eliminates the "requirement". I've seen caches with traditional bar codes that could be solved "manually" with a sufficient understanding of the barcode formats.

As long as you provide sufficient "no download required" alternatives there shouldn't be a problem. See GC1KRVM for example.