QR codes, or “Quick Response codes”, are the snowflake of the digital world. Not only because they look beautiful and have many uses, but also because of the number of variations possible. Originating in Japan for the asset management of car parts, QR codes have grown and become more popular. Now you’ll see QR asset tags everywhere, whether it’s one hanging off a street lamp, on a business card, or all over social media. You may even see one on your coffee mug while you’re waking up with that morning cup.

Everyone is still finding new, interesting, and creative ways to use the QR code. The possibilities are endless, but this creates a lot of questions. Are we ever going to run out of QR codes? Are QR codes just a trend? How do QR codes work? This blog will talk about all of this, and more. 

How QR Codes Work

QR codes work in a similar way to barcodes. Barcodes use black and white lines. The pattern of black and white lines creates a series of numbers, each digit between 0 and 9, which on a computer can be transformed into useful information. A barcode scanner, whether it’s a laser or LED, absorbs the colour black and reflects the colour white, which is how the pattern of lines can be turned into a sequence of numbers.

How is this related to QR codes? The answer is quite simple: QR codes are the next logical step after the traditional barcodes. Imagine barcodes originally are one dimensional as they use lines in order to store information. In this case, QR codes are two dimensional as they use black and white dots (modules) instead, with informations stored across two dimensions. The use of white and black is the same as it shows the reader, which can now be any smartphone, what the stored information is. Therefore, instead of using a combination of numbers between 0 and 9, QR codes can store a lot more information – hundreds of times more, in fact!

So, what are those big squares in the corners? These act as alignment targets. This way, the information can still be read from any angle. The problem with barcodes is that there is a limit to the amount of information they can give due to their one-dimensional nature. QR codes, on the other hand, can be read horizontally and vertically, thanks to how they align with a scanner. 

Uses

Where to begin? QR codes are being used in so many different ways today that it’s probably difficult to cast your mind back and think of the last time you saw one. Advertising, social media accounts, business management, asset tracking, cereal boxes, rooftops, videos, coupons, contact information, people have even got QR code tattoos! So, why do they have so many uses? And how do people think of new ways to use QR codes?

The answer is simple: they make life so much easier. They’re cheap and easy to use, and just like snowflakes, they seem to be falling out of the sky at an ever-increasing rate. Instead of creating information that has to be looked through and repeated, all you need is a phone or a scanner and it does everything for you. Instead of writing out a number or code and expecting people to copy it and maintain it, all they need to do is scan the code and in a matter of seconds, they can be wherever they need to be. Instead of typing out an inventory and still risking losing items or spending a while wondering where you last put something, QR codes can keep track of anything and everything, showing a last known location. All you need to do is stick a QR tag on an item, and then that item is transformed into something infinitely more useful.

So, to go into specific uses would take forever as each new individual QR code has a new individual use. Every snowflake is different, just like every QR code. Because of this, human imagination is the limit, and just like QR codes, this is endless. Generally, however, QR codes are used to make people’s lives easier. Instead of having to search and research and discover, QR codes make a connection to information instantaneous. All you need is a phone and an inquisitive mind. 

Variations

Not only does the standard QR code type have a variety of models, there are even more types on top of this! You can duplicate any single QR code to create wider access to the same information, but the different types of QR code allow for a greater flexibility of look and usage. The different types can be used for a range of individual purposes, or it can even depend simply on how much information needs to be stored.

Standard

The first type is the standard type, the original, the grandfather of QR. There are 40 different models of this, starting with Model 1, which has the least information and can store up to 1,167 numerals. They get continuously larger, up to Model 40 which can store up to 7,089 numerals.

Micro

A smaller, more adorable version of the above, this QR code only has one alignment target meaning that less information is stored on it, but that it can be used in more places.

IQR Code

IQR codes can store more information as their modules can be either square or rectangular. In theory, the maximum version can store around 40,000 numerals!

SQRC

This QR code can restrict reading for security purposes. Other than the fact that it can be used to store private information, it looks no different to a standard QR code.

Frame QR

You’ve probably seen these around a lot as well. These QR codes have a “canvas area” that is left blank. The information surrounds it, but anything that fits, including a company name or a picture, can be put inside the canvas area. 

The Future of QR Codes

Where to now, then? What is the future of QR codes? The answer is quite simple. QR codes will continue to grow and there will continue to be more and more uses for them.

There is a logical thought progression, however. If barcodes use one dimension, and QR codes use two, is it possible to make something that stores and makes readable information in three dimensions? The answer is that since every QR code can be unique and that the possibilities are still endless, then what would be the purpose? At this point in human history, QR codes store more than enough information, whether it’s simply a web URL or if it’s more complicated, like who’s in control of all of your personal assets.

QR codes, therefore, are like a blizzard. Millions of unique items creating a larger connectivity in the world, building up into something beautiful. QR codes not only connect us to each other, but they connect us to our machines and our technologies a lot more. They make our lives that little bit easier and that little bit quicker, but they also give character to objects. So, if you do choose to place a QR tag on your mug, it’s no longer just a mug. Now, it’s a library, and with itemit, it’s a library that everyone can connect to, making everyone’s lives a lot easier. 

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The kitchen can be an intense environment. Order after order getting placed. The mad scramble for the right ingredients to make the perfect dish. The head chef giving orders to ensure that everything tastes exquisite.

In such a rapid and frantic work environment, it’s easy for things to go wrong or not be done with the greatest efficiency. Food ends up getting spoiled and thrown out and the inventory isn’t maintained as well as it could be. With such a cycle between customer and cooking, it can be difficult to keep track of ingredients, meaning that a signature dish can end up getting 86’d much to everyone’s disappointment. 

The struggle

With the intensity and the speed of the kitchen, everything is more difficult to keep track of. So, you’ve walked into your kitchen and completed all of your tasks before customers start walking in and ordering a wide array of good food.

Then the first customer walks in and it’s still slightly relaxed, their order can be made a little slower, but still to the same perfect level that you’re used to. You get the right ingredients, you start frying, everything is going well.

After this something changes.

Five minutes ago you were happily cooking someone’s stir fry and now the heat is unbearable, the speed is faster, someone’s breaking down into tears, there are thousands of orders stuck everywhere. Something has happened. The rush. Which is the best onion to use, now? The one you reach first! You don’t have time to think about the fridge’s temperature, that’s a problem for when everything calms down. You’re running out of pies, how can you be running out of pies?

Then all of a sudden, as soon as it began, it’s over. A single orange rolls across the kitchen floor. A silence descends upon the equipment. The dust and the flour settles. It’s time to tidy up, ready for the next day where it’ll all happen again.

Time in a kitchen either feels plentiful or fleeting. There is no in-between. 

The problems

So what are the actual problems when everything turns into a mad rush? What’s getting left behind or temporarily forgotten? When the rush happens, getting the food out and making sure everything is safe and clean are the priorities. Certain things can fall by the wayside and plummet down the priority list, only to have to be picked up again later and potentially forgotten about.

Food waste and hygiene

The first thing that may work, but could be done more efficiently is choosing which food to use. If all of your vegetables are in a bag together, you’re more likely to pick up the first ingredient you reach.

If you do this, however, the life cycle of the food hasn’t been tracked as efficiently as it could be. More food spoils which creates more of a hygiene issue. Not only this, but the more food you throw out or compost, the more money wasted on ingredients that never get used.

Also, if the life cycle of food isn’t tracked the consistency of food may differ. There’s “ripe” and there’s “perfect for cooking” and if food is bought in batches but the freshest and best ingredients aren’t always used, you can be left wondering why the lady on table 27 is saying it’s the best meal she’s ever had but the gentleman on table 12 is complaining that it’s too solid.

Keeping track of equipment

Another issue is that there are two different worlds when it comes to maintaining a restaurant. There’s the frantic and exciting cooking for the customers where flames are leaping around and spices are getting pinched and thrown, but there’s also the nitty-gritty of day to day maintenance.

Nobody becomes a chef or opens a restaurant because they like checking a freezer’s temperature or because they like how the ANSUL fire suppression systems work. However, these are still things that need time, effort, and consistent attention.

When the kitchen is quiet, time needs to be spent on updating when a “PAT test” (Portable Appliance Test) is required, whether or not the kitchen is safe in the event of a fire, or if the fridge and freezer are running at the right temperature. This not only takes time away from the cooking and the running of the restaurant, but it can also take away some of the excitement.

Cleanliness

Now for the one thing that’s arguably more important than the food. Hygiene. If the cleanliness isn’t up to par, the food will suffer and so will the business. Whether it’s customers not returning or the restaurant itself getting shut down.

While you can clean workspaces as you go to help create healthy and safe meals, there are bigger cleaning maintenance jobs that need to be addressed at times other than rush hour.

These can be difficult to keep track of, whether it’s cleaning the vent hood, the grease filter, the deep fat fryer, or even the floor. While it’s still better to clean something twice rather than not at all, there are still time constraints on how perfectly spotless your restaurant can be. Then, of course, after rush hour everything that was sparkling will now be covered in grease and need cleaning again. 

What’s the solution?

So, if the problem is needing more time and energy when it’s time to fire everything up and feed the people, the solution is quite simple: asset management.

With asset tracking software, such as itemit, you can easily track when the next PAT test is, when the last time you cleaned the grease filter was, and how fresh your food is. So, not only can you keep track of your larger equipment and how well maintained it is, keeping everything faster and more efficient, you can also keep track of use by dates ensuring the best quality meals possible.

Instead of a mad scramble for just any piece of fruit, therefore, after a quick check, the most suitable ingredient can be chosen and used. This means better tasting food, but it also crucially means less food waste. With less food waste, not only are you saving money on what you’d normally have to replace, but you’re also helping the environment.

If you’ve ever thought that you simply need more time to wash and maintain equipment whilst also keeping track of ingredients before the rush happens and after it settles, or if you want to save some more money in order move your business forward, asset tracking can help you do both.

Because in the end, energy alone isn’t the problem, it’s where it’s focused. With asset tracking and management, energy can be focused more efficiently and in the right place for the right amounts of time.

Instead of wasting time or money on maintenance, all you need is a smartphone and some durable QR codes or RFID tags which itemit can provide. Before long everything will be running a lot more smoothly and you can start spending more time on every reason you’re in the kitchen in the first place.

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University means so many things to so many different people. It might mean research, study, and education, or it might mean practising for the real world. No matter what it means, it’s an incredible experience, and no matter what you’re learning about, whether it’s history or hangovers, it always has been a place to learn and to discover.

A group of curious and thirsty minds all put together in one place looking towards a better future, studying, researching and discovering. What happens, then, if a breakthrough is about to be reached, but at the lab a crucial piece of equipment has gone missing?

The future is put on hold whilst phones buzz from department to department until one of two outcomes happen: the equipment is retrieved from another lab, or the equipment has completely vanished needing to be expensively replaced. Then there’s a possibility that you may replace the equipment and find the original, meaning that now you have one more than you actually need.

This can be a problem of the past. Instead of fumbling around and wasting precious research time, asset tracking and management can help with the categorisation, finding, and distribution of equipment and technology.

How lots of universities currently track assets

Currently, most universities have their own individual ways of tracking assets and, for the most part, it can work. If a university has developed their own system, they can be comfortable and knowledgeable in how said system works. However, this in itself can create a problem. If there isn’t any thought about the need to change and improve, the same problems can occur without any thought towards fixing them. For example, lost assets are simply replaced without a second thought because that’s always been how things were done and it’s worked for this long. This can be especially problematic if each asset owner maintains their own spreadsheets, meaning that sharing becomes a problem.

Most universities, in using their own systems, have created an environment where there is a “good enough” mentality. For example, a spreadsheet can technically be used to track assets, but there are limits to this, and it’ll only work in the best-case scenario.

Typing in an entire inventory onto a spreadsheet can be tedious and time-consuming, but once the base inventory is created and once changes only happen when there is new technology, or when old technology is broken or lost, it becomes a lot easier.

There is a myth of spent time in this sense. As it took so long to transfer an inventory onto a spreadsheet, there is an easy mentality to fall into: so much time was spent on doing this that it becomes “worth it” and any other time-consuming method of tracking assets appears to be less worth it.

Why this can cause problems

Spreadsheets themselves are limited. There is a consistent need to update information and to keep physical track of assets. It’s not much different to a handwritten inventory, only it is marginally easier to edit. Yet, handwritten inventories even have an advantage over electronic spreadsheets. If you’re holding a notepad, you can update an asset’s location the moment you place it down, whereas if you’re using a laptop or computer there’ll always be a break between placing the asset down and typing up its new location. Not only this, but spreadsheets are almost impossible to tweak and maintain on a mobile phone. Everything becomes too small or fiddly. This, therefore, means it’s effectively impossible to portably maintain assets if only manual spreadsheets are being used.

How, then, do you keep track of where an asset is specifically kept? Do you write down the location on a notepad before walking to whatever you’re using to update your database? There is such a large possibility of human error in this case, or even a possibility of walking back and forth double and triple-checking that the asset is where it’s supposed to be, if the inventory manager is second-guessing themselves, as we all do.

What if the location is recorded wrong as well? The asset is labelled as lost. A new asset is bought. The old asset is found in the wrong place. Money is wasted.

While there is a possibility that it’s a flask that’s lost, replaced, then found, which isn’t the end of the world, there is also a possibility that it’s one of the universities most expensive pieces of technology. Many labs around the world have millions of dollars worth of equipment in them. There’s also an even worse possibility that a unique, custom made piece of equipment goes missing, which sets back granted research. In terms of lab tests, repeatability of an experiment is imperative, which means that if the equipment is lost, hours, days, months, or even years of research will simply disappear with the equipment.

That’s the issue in the end. Universities must have the cutting edge, the top of the line, the very technology that’s going to break barriers and bring us into the future. With a rapid rotation of class after class and every year new batches of students coming in, this technology is increasingly difficult to keep track of. As spreadsheets are flawed and have limited uses, technology can easily get lost or tracking the technology can become far too time-consuming.

As more and more academics are competing with each other to get research grants, the grants themselves are currently getting less and less fit for purpose if hardware is going missing. This along with the fact that universities are having to fund a portion their own research and a raise in tuition fees will alienate potential students, saving money is imperative. Loss of assets spends money that isn’t necessarily affordable in terms of this, as if it is saved it can be put straight back into university research.

The solution

Asset tracking apps, such as itemit, can not only solve solve “what-if” situations such as “what if I put this in the wrong place and its labelled as lost?”, they can also create a wider range of functions that are incredibly helpful and can save precious time and money.

So, if an asset is placed in the wrong place but still scanned, where the asset was left is instantly updated. This saves time going back and forth between spreadsheets or notepads and the asset itself and mislabelling the asset anyway. This means also that specific but similar-looking technology, such as wiring, can be labelled uniquely and instantly identified without picking up the asset and spending time physically inspecting it.

The itemit asset management software can track where assets have been left and it can save time when it comes to retrieving specific pieces of technology. This means that instead of taking a while setting up a lab session and then risking a loss of tech when labs rotate, there is a faster way of setting up and making sure everything is still accounted for when it’s time for the next session. Then, after this, there is a much more efficient way to pack everything up and more peace of mind that everything has been accounted for.

Instead of the chore of “I should be making breakthroughs right now, that’s why I’m here, but I need to go through all of our equipment one by one” there is a much faster solution in this case, where assets can be instantly identified and their changing locations can be recorded a lot faster, whether it’s with a QR tag or RFID tag.

While this solves the potential problems of using spreadsheets, there are also more functions that will make life even easier. If spending unnecessary time and avoidable amounts of money are potential problems, itemit creates the solutions for these and more. This is also helpful in a collaborative, social networking management sense, as anyone can scan anything at any time updating everyone involved in the process where an asset is, making everything a lot quicker and a lot easier.

Assets can be tracked faster and more closely and losses can be absolutely clear before money is spent, but asset information can also be neatly and readably added to the app. So, instead of sifting through pages on a spreadsheet to find either an online link to a user manual, or even the location of a physical manual, itemit can instantly do both of these helping you find relevant and helpful assets in much less time. No more, “where did I leave that?” finding it, then realising you want to brush up on how it works and then spending even more time looking through every user manual for every piece of equipment.

You can even get updates on when your assets need to be serviced or updated, rather than scrolling through calendars and dates on spreadsheets. If your university library’s computers need to be regularly maintained and checked, but if there are different batches that need checking at different times, itemit can easily keep you updated on which batch needs to be checked and when. It’ll also show where the assets are so that there’s less time spent finding them.

Time and money are essential when it comes to research. With itemit, a university can have more of both.

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The answer to an age old technological question: QR tags or RFID tags? Which one is more helpful for my asset management? Which one would win in a fight? Which one is right for me? The answer is quite simple: it depends. Yet, this only raises more questions. So, which one should you be using? Read on to find out.

What is the difference between QR code asset tags and RFID asset tags? Both of them have a similar purpose and usage, but, if you have a scanner nearby, an “active” RFID tag will constantly transmit information (more on the different RFID tag types later), where a QR code needs to be rescanned each time individually and with line of sight.

While this makes it sound like there’s an obvious winner, that’s not necessarily the case. While RFID tags have increased functionality and connectivity, QR tags are often a lot more practical. They’re also cheaper as they’re easier to print.

There is a lot to take into account before you make a decision on which to invest more of your time and money into. You don’t want to spend a fortune on RFID tags and scanners and then use them in the same way you’d be using QR tags, or even cheaper RFID tags.

The first benefit of QR codes is the effectiveness. All you need to scan one is a smartphone and some software and they’re cheap and easy to both use and generate. The time you would be spending configuring an RFID tag (unless you use itemit, in which case your RFID tags are configured for you) could be used simply shipping around your assets, as all it takes is thirty seconds to stick on a tag, scan the tag and add your asset to your fixed asset register.

As they’re so easy to generate, this means that they’re incredibly cheap, also. You won’t have to worry as much about time constraints or budgeting because before you order tags, you’ll probably own everything else already.

QR tags have two main drawbacks. The first is that they don’t have as many applications as RFID tags due to limitations such as needing a line of sight to scan. So, depending on what you’re planning on using them for, you may have to invest in RFID tags for a wider range of uses. This isn’t a problem if your asset management doesn’t require easier, more efficient, and faster updates (multiple tags getting scanned at once).

With passive RFID tags and QR codes, however, there’s more of a chance of human error as each asset needs to be scanned manually. This is more of an issue with QR code asset tags due to the need for line of sight as if a QR tag isn’t spotted, and therefore isn’t scanned, an asset may potentially remain unaccounted for.

Another fear people have is the thought of sticking QR stickers onto their items. RFID tags look instantly more integrated and technological, and due to how they work can be hidden.

Some people worry that QR tags must be visible. The solution is simple, itemit tags are smaller and more attractive than other companies. They instantly enhance any asset and make it look more futuristic and no negative attention is drawn to the tag.

First of all you’ll need to know a little bit about the two types of RFID tag. These have different prices, different purposes and different applications. The first type is a passive RFID tag, the second is an active RFID tag.

Passive

Passive tags are “powered” by the electromagnetic energy sent from an RFID reader. What this means is that, depending on wear and tear, there is a possibility for passive RFID tags to last a lifetime. They don’t require a battery or any other internal power source.

Passive RFID tags can therefore be smaller, more flexible, and a lot more durable, allowing the ability to use them in harsh conditions. However, the scanning range, although a lot larger than a QR code, is still a lot smaller than with an active RFID tag.

Active

Active tags, however, do require an internal power source which means that they must be larger. This can affect their longevity and durability. So, yes, active tags can be read from a much, much larger distance than passive tags, but it’s also probable that at some point the RFID tag will have to be replaced sooner than a passive tag.

As an added benefit, however, as active tags have a much larger scanning range, reading/writing ability and communication with assets can be more remote and done with a lot more ease. This means updating an asset register is a lot faster and simpler.

The benefits of using RFID tags are very clear, very quickly. First of all, being able to walk into a room and press a button and all of the assets in that room appearing on your scanner is futuristic and feels amazing. RFID tagging can really bring inanimate objects to life in a more fulfilling way than QR tagging.

With QR tagging, the scanning range is vastly different, even if the RFID tag is passive. Not only this, but QR codes need line of sight and need to be scanned one by one. RFID tags on the other hand can be scanned through surfaces and multiple assets can be scanned at once.

QR codes must always be “read-only”, whereas RFID tags can be “read-write”, depending on the radio frequency that’s being used. What this means is that assets can be changed and updated and communicated with whilst they’re either in use or in transit.

So, not only are RFID tags futuristic and have more uses than QR tags, they also have many more applications. The read range is far superior for an RFID tag. Also, as multiple can be scanned at the same time, various deadlines can be met with much more ease than if you were scanning assets one by one.

RFID tags also have many uses that are still being explored. For example, Amazon used RFID tags in trollies and on assets in order to show that it was possible to use weighted shelves and RFID tags to make shopping easier. The experiment showed that right now it is possible to simply take items from a shelf in a shop, place them in your trolley, then walk out of the shop and get charged for the items with the help of RFID tags. No more queues!

There is one immediate drawback for using RFIDs, and that’s the price. The RFID tags themselves can be extremely cheap, or they can be expensive. It all depends on your needs. If you want a basic sticky label tag that isn’t durable and has a relatively low read range it’ll only cost around 0.05-0.1USD. Scanners can be expensive, however. Whether you want to make this investment depends on how many you need to buy or, again, your company’s or individual needs.

It is certainly worth it depending on what you’re trying to track and what you want to do with your assets as QR tags simply don’t do everything RFID tags can. Of course, if you are planning on using RFID for a purpose that can be easily reached with QR tags, why would you spend the extra money on scanners? Especially as they need a dedicated reader with bluetooth that works with smartphones or fixed readers. Again, it depends on your purpose and your budget.

Passive RFID tags can be a lot cheaper than active ones. However, the same problem occurs. If you think about it, passive RFID tags are in between active tags and QR codes in terms of uses, meaning that there will be some overlap with the uses of QR codes.

Including the cost of scanners, in which you may need more than one depending on your purpose; unless your assets need to be scanned from a larger distance, in bulk, or with no line of sight, it might be better to invest in QR tags instead.

You’ve probably seen that RFID tags are objectively better, more useful, and easier to integrate. This doesn’t mean you should instantly reach for your wallet and start ordering. It’s all about your specific purpose.

For example, if you want to move house and you want to make sure everything from your old house makes it to your new one, you don’t need RFID tags as much. The benefit of an RFID tag is that you simply scan using the itemit app and RFID reader and detect everything that’s still in the house, but QR tags can serve the same purpose it’ll just be a little slower and cheaper.

However, if you’re making a movie and you want to track your expensive equipment, props, and costumes, it might be better to invest in RFID tags because faster, more efficient updates from a larger distance mean that it’s cheaper to purchase RFID tags and scanners than risk losing your favourite camera.

The answer, therefore, is think about if what you’re doing can be done with QR tags. If it can’t, think about if it can be done with passive RFID tags. If it can’t, think about if it can be done with active RFID tags. itemit works with both QR and RFID tags, so you can use both and future proof your business with the best asset management possible.

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or, download the itemit app to get started