03.10.2005 Semacode [Hands On]
“Simply put, a semacode is a URL barcode. Using our free software, you can scan a semacode, and with just one click the proper webpage will be loaded on your phone’s browser. The system is open and extensible, and anyone can create semacodes on their own computer.”
practical ubiquitous computing
Semacode is a platform for ubiquitous computing. Using our complete platform, you can build a ubiquitous application from the ground up to engage your users directly into the software, eliminating the barriers between the real world and the computer.
how it works
Semacode “nodes” or URL barcodes sit at the center of the system. We adapted the public domain standard data matrix barcode format to encode plain-text URLs. Data matrix is a robust code that can store hundred of characters, recovering up to 50% of lost data due to damage.
When you create a semacode node, you control the content on your own website or WAP pages. So you can completely design a user-specific application using standard web design tools, and then hook it into real-world ubiquitous use by generating semacode nodes for the different page addresses.
With a camera phone, your users can “click” a semacode node with their camera to activate it. If they have the Semacode Reader installed on their phone, the phone will automatically read the URL out of the code and present it to the user. If they approve, it launches the appropriate browser using cellular data services like GPRS. The URL will lead them to the page or service that you specified when you created the code.
uses of semacode
The applications you can create are limited only by the still unexplored bounds of ubiquitous computing. Or, you can look at the places where semacode has already been used:
- a conference promotion
- an art exhibit (etoy)
- business cards
- an urban mobile game (ConQwest)
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