QR - A Mouse With A "Tale"

QR Code reading mouse pictured with QR Code from DENSO Wave and Colorzip Certified 2D Code - Image Credit: ELECOM

QR - A Mouse With A "Tale"

Imagine, if you will, that you are flipping through one of your favorite magazines and there is a story about an exciting travel destination, you know, one that describes where to go, what to see, how to get around ... and you would like to look all of this information up on the computer when you get home.

Well, in Japan you can.

In Japan, the article would be accompanied with a printed image known as the QR Code. This code image, because it is a QR Code, can contain as much alphanumeric information that over 4,000 characters would allow. One image can contain a small story ... a tale!

In this case, the information contained in the QR Code (created by DENSO Wave) is website location information ... but how does one get this information into the computer, to either go to the website, or read the "tale" data?

This from Ubergizmo -

Elecom Bar-Code reading mouse

How many people actually need to use a mouse that comes with a bar code reader? Apparently enough to create the demand for such a product that drove Elecom to develop the new Bar-Code Reading Mouse. This neat little peripheral is capable of reading both monochrone and 2D color barcodes (also known as QR barcodes) The ergonomics on this peripheral looks suspect, although it does resemble a bar-code reader's design more than that of a mouse. In case you don't know that the mouse is from Elecom, they have kindly emblazoned a large reminder on the entire left side of the mouse's surface. No word on when it will be released and how much it costs.
Reference Here>>

... And this from OhGizmo! -

Elecom Releases Bar-Code Reading Mouse
By Andrew Liszewski - OhGizmo!

Even though they don't seem to be as popular in North America as they are elsewhere odds are you've seen those 2D QR barcodes at some point. You know, they're those weird little square graphics that are made up of what appears to be random patterns of smaller squares. Well in reality those patterns aren't random and those small squares can actually hold a surprising amount of encoded text.

Elecom now has a USB mouse with a built-in optical QR reader that can handle both the traditional black and white versions of those barcodes as well as the newer color versions which actually hold less data and are typically only used as pointers to websites.
Reference Here>>

Here are some image examples from the manufacturer's website as to how the mouse is used.

Magazine article with QR Code image locator. Image Credit: ELECOM

Callout of QR Code image as it appears in the magazine. Image Credit: ELECOM