Re-Invigorated 2D Barcodes: Innovations and Applications

Irving R. Barron, Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Rochester

601 Computer Studies Building

With the widespread adoption of smart mobile devices, users now enjoy seamless access to QR code-based applications via the cameras on these devices. We highlight two innovations that increase the data capacity of QR codes in a modular fashion, maintaining compatibility with existing designs. First, we present a method for embedding a secondary message in a QR code without impacting its primary message, realizing dual modulated QR (DMQR) codes that increase the data capacity while being transparent to existing applications. Next we present spatio-spectrally layered QR (SSLQR) codes, that extend DMQR codes to color in a modular, channel-wise fashion, retaining key strengths of traditional monochrome QR code designs that led to their popularity, while increasing data capacity six-fold. We highlight design choices for DMQR and SSLQR codes and optimizations that facilitate their use with commonly employed beautification. Finally, we highlight the fact that our innovations constitute frameworks that naturally extend to other 2D barcode designs and describe applications that are beneficially enabled by the modularity of our designs.

Irving R. Barron obtained an Engineer's degree in Electronic Engineering and a Master's degree in Electronic Engineering from the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México, in 2012 and 2015 respectively. He also received a Master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Rochester, New York, USA, in 2018. He is currently a PhD student working towards his degree at the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York. His research interest include computer vision and information security, specially, in the fields of digital forensics and digital image processing for the verification and authentication of physical and digital assets.  

Refreshments will be provided.