Who invented the QR Code that is now used in UPI payments and Aadhaar verification? He is from…, name is…

In today’s digital world, we do many things online, like sharing contact details, making payments, and even verifying documents. A major reason all this has become so smooth and easy is the use of QR codes. For example, when making a UPI payment, all you need to do is scan a QR code, and the money is transferred instantly. One unique thing about QR codes is that every time one is generated, it’s different. Each QR code is unique and not the same as another. But did you know that this technology was invented over 31 years ago? Yes, the same QR codes we use today for everything from paying bills to Aadhaar verification were first created three decades back.

Who invented QR code?

QR stands for Quick Response, and it was invented in 1994 by a Japanese engineer named Masahiro Hara. He graduated from Hosei University in Japan. The QR code was developed by a company called Denso Wave, which is a part of Toyota Motor Corporation.

Interestingly, the idea for the QR code came to Masahiro while he was playing a traditional board game called Go. If you haven’t played it, Go is a strategy game played on a 19×19 grid using black and white stones. That grid pattern inspired Masahiro to design a new type of code that could store more information and be scanned quickly from any angle.

So, the QR code that has become a part of our everyday digital lives actually started with inspiration from a game and has now become essential for modern transactions.

Hidden information inside the Grid

When Masahiro Hara looked at the Go board, he realized something interesting, a grid could hold a lot of information and still be readable from different angles and distances. That thought sparked an idea. Along with his team at Denso Wave, he started working on turning this grid concept into what we now know as the QR code.

The QR code was designed to store data that could help with location tracking, product identification, and even web tracking. In the beginning, it was mainly used in the automobile industry to label and keep track of vehicle parts.

Over time, this technology became much more useful. Today, QR codes are used for things like electronic tickets, sharing contacts, and of course, digital payments.

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