August 16th, 2008 | Posted by Dean Lucas 5 comments

Point, scan, learn, with ScanLife – tags for the real-world

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ScanLife - iPhone bar codes

Months ago, we caught wind of a rumor that ScanLife was going to create an iPhone app to enable bar code scanning using the iPhone camera. Sure, bar codes are nothing new, but we’re not talking about grocery bar codes here. ScanLife bar codes are more like digital hieroglyphics that are tagged on real-world items and can be decoded with your iPhone running the ScanLife app. You point your camera at the bar code, then ScanLife processes the code into an action that automatically opens mobile Safari with more information about the item.

At first glance, this technology appears to be yet another new marketing channel for advertisers to exploit (and no doubt they’ll try), but the real-world applications of this technology go well beyond advertising. Imagine a museum, or a car show, with each item on display also sporting a ScanLife barcode. Point point your iPhone camera, scan, then view deeper information about that particular item. Or, think of a self-guided travel tour where you can scan codes at different points of interest to learn more about that location. The information can be text, audio, video, or any other interactive media that is supported by the iPhone. The potential of this technology is only limited by the imagination.

Ten years ago we were intrigued by a presentation at Xerox Parc in Palo Alto, California (creators of the computer mouse) which showcased technology that “tagged” real-world items with tiny identifiers about the size of a grain of rice. These tags could be read by PDAs which would then display more information about the tagged item. We thought this was amazing technology that held promise for learning applications and we eagerly awaited it to come to the mass market. It never did, at least not here.

Not surprisingly, Tokyo has provided this type of tagging to its residents and visitors with location-based information for the past several years. For instance, you could emerge from a subway to see a sign containing a bar code. This code could be processed by a cell phone camera to access more information about the area like history, shopping, restaurants, and more. Proliferation of advanced cell phone technology in Japan allowed this type of tagging to flourish in Tokyo while remaining out of reach for the lagging mobile market in the U.S. The iPhone, however, could tilt this technology toward mass adoption in the U.S. given the sheer number of iPhone users here in the states.

ScanLife takes advantage of the iPhone platform to provide an easy way for people to create real-world tags that can be connected to web-based data sources. Creating tags with the ScanLife web site is simple and free. Put one on your business card. Print T-shirts with your bar code. Temporary tattoos. Permanent tattoos. Put it anywhere you can imagine.

We love this technology and hope ScanLife can get enough market penetration to make it ubiquitous in our daily lives. We’re going to Maui next week and would love to use ScanLife’s EZcodes on our iPhones to learn more about the Road to Hana and the Seven Sacred Pools. However, this depends on our iPhones being able to connect to the network from the north side of Maui, and right now, we don’t have much confidence in that. And maybe that’s a good thing. After all, there are some places that shouldn’t be tagged, like Maui. But for every other place, ScanLife is an excellent way to provide iPhone users with a fun, easy way to access more information about something in the real-world.

ScanLife – Tagging the real world for iPhone users

 

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  • streetstylz

    It should be noted that:

    Scanbuy’s indirect resolution process, which they use for their proprietary EZcode, is infringing on NeoMedia Technologies’ core patents.

    Scanbuy uses the indirect encoding method for their barcode resolution process.

    Indirect encoding (patented by NeoMedia) is the process of linking the target information to an index (364528 for example) and putting that unique identifier into a 1D UPC/EAN or 2D barcode. The code reader on the mobile phone reads the barcode and sends the code data over the Internet to a central resolution server that will tell the mobile phone what action is associated with the index, i.e. access a URL, download media, initiate a phone call, ect.

    NeoMedia Technologies has a suite of twelve issued patents covering the core concepts behind linking the physical world to the electronic world dating back to 1995. These patents cover various linkage methods including: Barcodes, RFID, Mag Stripe, Voice, and Other machine readable and keyed entry identifiers.

    http://neom.com/13.html

    NeoMedia brought suit against Scanbuy. Litigation has been ongoing.

  • http://www.touchtip.com/ JR

    @streetstylz – thanks for the info. We’ll be sure to watch for what happens and update this space.

  • Randy

    This would be the best app if it worked well

  • http://streetstylz.blogspot.com/ streetstylz

    @JR – Thanks for the reply

    I have followed the mobile code reading space over the years with great interest and intrigue. In particular, a company by the name of NeoMedia Technologies.

    During Web 1.0, a company by the name of Digital Convergence licensed the patents of NeoMedia Technologies to facilitate the launch of the :CueCat.
    The :CueCat was a revolutionary product launched back in 2000 that came way before its time. It had tremendous disruptive potential from a technology standpoint, but the drawback with the :CueCat was that it was a “tethered” device — meaning the user could only scan barcodes while seated in front of their personal computer. The customer had no mobility and could not take the device with them.

    Flash forward to today, mobile barcode reading is an everyday part of the popular culture in Japan and Korea. The technology is just now beginning to emerge in Europe with North America not too far behind.

    NeoMedia and it’s wholly owned subsidiary Gavitec are both active members of the Mobile Codes Consortium with technology leader HP, marketing powerhouse and advertising agency Publicis Groupe, cell phone manufacturer Nokia, QUALCOMM, along with wireless carriers O2, Deutsche Telekom (T-Mobile), and KPN.

    Last December, the Mobile Codes Consortium created initiatives that led to activities within the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) and the GSM Association (GSMA) to accelerate mass mobile marketing using mobile codes.

    http://www.mobilecodes.org

    NeoMedia also recently launched the NeoReader, which features NeoMedia’s patented resolution technology combined with Gavitec’s ultra-small footprint and platform independent algorithms. It is able to read and decipher all common non-proprietary 2D codes (Data Matrix, QR, Aztec) as well as URL embedded 2D codes and all 1D UPC/EAN/Code 128 open source codes. The NeoReader supports direct and indirect code linking, which guarantees maximum interoperability with already existing platforms like 2D Data Matrix Semacodes, and Japanese QR links. This allows the user to click on a variety of codes with a single application installed on their mobile device.

    http://www.neoreader.com

    NeoMedia Technologies has a suite of twelve issued patents dating back to 1995 covering the core concepts behind linking the physical world to the electronic world through 1D UPC/EAN and 2D barcodes.

    http://neom.com/13.html

    These patents have been licensed by Digital Convergence, Symbol/Motorola,
    and Virgin Entertainment.

  • http://www.nathanhamm.net Nathan Hamm

    2 months passed since I’ve lost my connection to the internet and here i am planning to read all your posts that I’ve missed, it is a relaxing sensation to meet again with your writing style.