QR Codes & Augmented Reality (wk of July 14)

I loved learning about QR codes and Aurasma this week.  I do remember using the iPad to hear an audio message when the camera was held over a magazine cover in Norfolk.  The audio message was not really loud enough for me to hear it all, but the idea was awesome. The articles on QR codes gave tons of ideas on how QR codes would be used in the library.  I liked the "library tour" idea, where you could have little groups use an iPad or other device to scan codes around the library and do their own interactive tour.  The QR Codes could be linked to just audio or to videos about the library resources.

QR codes seem easier for me to grasp at this point.  I think putting QR codes all over the books so that students/faculty could scan the codes and get links to book reviews and trailers and websites was a great idea.  With Aurasma, the effects can look like magic (the TED talk was phenomenal with all of the demonstrations.  It seriously looked like the images came to life.) but I have a harder time getting how you get the information "Hold a camera over this" to the patrons.  They have to subscribe to a channel, for one thing.  With QR Codes, the code is self-explanatory. Everyone who sees the code knows they can scan it for more information.  One idea given for using Aurasma in the library was to have the circulation be the trigger for a "how to" video on checking out books.  But how would you get the instructions across about what angle the circ desk had to be viewed through the camera?  Would you have to mark the floor and have written instructions that say, "Stand here"?

Most of the QR codes I looked at on other blogs went to a link.  Is there a way to make the phone open up to the actual site and not just give the link?


I figured out how to embed a QR code with blogger in a split second...I hit the "html" button beside "Compose" and just cut and pasted the html code on that page.  When I clicked on "compose" again, the QR code was here.  I love it when things fall together so quickly.  Here is my QR code with an embedded message:




The message showed up right on my phone.  I didn't have to connect to a link.

A voice QR using QR voice:



http://my.qrvoice.net/18xcW7E

I don't see how I can record my own voice at qrvoice.net but I liked being able to type what I wanted ....you can avoid "um...um" that way.  When I hit the help button, it looks like there is supposed to be a little microphone picture in the bar where you type the letters, but my bar didn't have one.

Here is the same message in Arabic:



In order to hear the messages, my phone shows the link and then I have to hit "Go Online".  It would be better if there was a way for the phone just to say the message without the extra step.