Hi-Tech Graves - QR Codes Give Info On Deceased

QR codes are all the rage in Japan, and now they are making their way into the graves! For those who do not know what they mean, QR “Quick Response” Code is a matrix code created by Japanese corporation Denso-Wave in 1994 that can be turned into web links and are currently the most popular Japanese type of two dimensional code.

Memorial stone maker Ishinokoe of Yamanashi Prefecture is adopting the technology and will soon begin producing grave stones with embedded QR codes that visitors can scan with their mobiles to get back information on the deceased.  The retrieved content includes pictures, video, family information, and other items. The concept is being called Kuyou no Mado, meaning “Memorial Service Window.”

Check out the somewhat similar idea of retrieving info by scanning pictures with your mobile that was recently trial launched by vodafone in Germany:

New Image Search Phone Service - Vodafone’s Otello

Vodafone has demonstrated a new trial service called “Otello”, which is basically a mobile search engine that uses images, rather than words at the CeBIT show in Germany. Vodafone’s reasoning is that it’s more convenient to take a picture than to enter search terms with a phone that lacks a normal k… [More]