I made a no-code platform for creating physical data collection apps, using QR codes [1]. It does not yet have a self-service config UI though, which limits adoption.
That's why I recently released a Google Forms™ add-on for QR code check-in, based on the platform. This focused use-case makes it easy to provide a fully self-service config UI.
How it works:
1. Create your Google Form as you normally would [2]
2. Activate the add-on if you hadn't already [3]
3. Craft a confirmation email to be sent to each form responder
Upon each form submission, the add-on will send a PDF with a unique QR code (a V4 UUID) to the responder.
Have guests present this code at the event, and record check-ins in bulk using the included QR scanner.
See here [4] for more information, or try the Google Sheets™ version [5] (which doesn't send email).
[3] https://workspace.google.com/marketplace/app/qr_code_ticket_...
[4] https://blog.darkaa.com/qr-code-pass-per-response-google-for...
[5] https://workspace.google.com/marketplace/app/qr_code_pass_fo...
My child’s school uses them and it often the forms ask for a login. Google doesn’t necessarily respect your choice to make a form public.
A form can use a custom field (doesn't require login), user input managed by Google Forms (named "Email", doesn't require login), or the google email of the user ("verified" email, requires login).
This add-on supports every one of these options.
Recently we were in a restaurant which required scanning a QR code to get served (for some reason asian restaurants like doing this). The codes were labels attached to the menu. I told the waitress "I can't scan the codes because I don't know who put the QR codes there". She told "the codes lead to their website". I told her "I don't know that, it takes a moment to print a label that looks exactly the same to my eye". She told me "it would then not point to their website". I respond if she knows what MITM attack is. She responded "if you can't afford a phone we should leave and go somewhere else".
The funniest is those QR codes left at random in public. I imagine scanning these is like finding a random pendrive and putting it in your computer.
iOS shows the domain if it is a URL and you have to tap it. It's no different from tapping on a link on a website, which I would say is more insecure since you don't even get the domain info before tapping.
So instead of seeing a nice hover-over of "SuperDeliciousItalian.com/menu", as often as not it will be "qr.to/f2CrS" or somesuch.
So exposing the URL encoded in the QR code doesn't provide all the information you need to assess its validity or safety.
(FWIW, I actually wish more table QR codes did contain these parameters - why do I need to enter the table number in the form after navigating to the online menu? I hate these things btw...)
What are you so scared of? It isn't the 90s where by tricking someone into following a dodgy link their windows machine was instantly pwned.
Unfortunately there’s a deeper problem in this security model, in that only a tiny tiny fraction of the web’s userbase knows how to assess a URL, and even experts can easily struggle
1. A restaurant should provide a menu printed on paper or a panel. Sometimes pictures are used.
2. Verbal communication serves that purpose also well. And friendly manner.
3. Some cameras don’t display the read input properly. Input is always in error until it is validated. Here is user validation required.
4. You don’t need to invent excuses like “my camera is broken, I forgot my phone, Bad eyesight…”.
5. You don’t have to carry around a camera, a cellular access terminal and a computer (consider this as description of a smartphone) with you.
6. The website can load arbitrary data with JavaScript and mine Bitcoin in a sandbox. It is not safe because it will drain the battery.
PS: Similar. To provide a common base, prevent exclusion of unwanted customers and prevent against malicious data processing some jurisdictions require cash payment options.
Of course you can. Use an application that allows it.
Scan the QR code, dude.
The Forms and Sheets add-ons are just customer acquisition channels, just like our Zapier integration [1]. These mostly use our API, and very little of our UI (mostly the scanner).
I just noticed the main submission link goes to the Google Sheets add-on, instead of the Google Forms add-on [2]. Oh well.
[1] https://www.aprildunford.com/books
[2] https://workspace.google.com/marketplace/app/qr_code_pass_fo...
The main platform is currently used by national post offices (physical mail tracking), health organizations (biological samples), banks (fixed assets tracking), manufacturing plants (parts inventory tracking), etc.
QR codes make it easy to avoid data-entry errors in quite a large set of use cases with physical objects.
EDIT: nto "But for use for" -- I meant "But in ADDITION" --
But - for tool/item/inventory management in a garage.
Get a cheap label printer [0], create a form of your tools/inventory with a matched set (code on tool, code on location of tool home) - Tool home has a QR code that leads to a tab in the sheet with all the tools that live in that location, container.
Put airtags on the high-value tools, with links in the sheet to those.
but scan a code on a tool - and it tells you tool details, including owner, home, whatever data properties you like.
If you like barcodes/QR codes and GIMP - You will love BarTender (seagull Software [1])
It allows you to make ANY type of barcode you want, QR code, badge, etc etc.
Its AMAZING [Free*] software. (You only pay a cheapo $500 lic if you have a high volume printer for printing thousands of product labels fast - eles; its a super powerful free program with an utterly amazing and knowledgable supprt staf f (no affiliation)
Here is a test I did making "Card Carrying Conspiracy Theorist" badges based on a comment from someone saying they were one. THe QRs go to the /r/ profile - as does the bar code.
The image can be set as a template then do a merge for pics and employee data from a sheet....
(I like Guilloche designs (the swirly woven bits you see on money)) and so I used that motif - but the QR code placement and calc is automatic via Bartender.
I made a bunch of labels for a cannabis company - and I tied the QRs through a tinyURL which did all the geocoding of the QR scanning so that we could send product to a particular place, and then track where and how many people scanned the QR (the QR went directly to the lab test reports for the makup of the cannibis, CBD, etc...
So, then you could measure which market the CBD or THC were drawing most interest - and see how sales were vs scanning.
anyway - QR codes get a bad wrap. They are lame for menues - but a goot idea is to scan a QR code, then just have a folder of scanned links for purusal later - as opposed to launching safari when I clearly dont ue safari. :)
[0] https://www.amazon.com/qr-code-printer/s?k=qr+code+printer&p...
[1] https://portal.seagullscientific.com/downloads/bartender
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>>>scan a QR code, then just have a folder of scanned links for purusal later
These get submitted to a personal GPT and it develops a learning module for you on your home portal which then gives you the run-down of all it has learned from that location QR or Context QR or Porduct QR.
But without a sticker - it will use either:
1. handheld laser engraver of the QR
2. an AI derived location based on meta data
3. an AI location based on image analysis
(forgive me if I am snowballing too much on HN, but I truly believe we are at an inflection point with a velocity that is being masked from us - SAs and his Ilk are not giving the fold the truth.)
Great use case! I did a tool inventory management use case once, with the underlying platform [1].
It starts with generating QR codes for sticker papers [2], from the app. Those never expire and are all different (v4 UUID). You can then assign a QR to any new item, then scan it for registration in the app, specifying room, drawer, etc. (and gps, picture, etc. if needed).
You can browse tools per room, drawer, etc., and scan anytime to record an update. Each tool gets a history trail.
You can even make data-entry easier by making special QR codes for drawers; scanning them fills some form fields with presets, so you don't have to manually select stuff and make mistakes.
I mostly see use-cases where other people scan a QR you made, but there are use cases where the QR codes are only ever scanned by you and your staff.
[1] https://admin.trak.codes/ [2] https://share.darkaa.com/!9DXEQQTg2z/trak-qr-codes-demo-hn.p...
This has always been a psychological issue with Humans and Signage.
Signage is a HUGE FUCKING DEAL (If you have ever had to some up with a signage policy for a Hospital with thousands of addressible spaces, where a certain population of 'stake holders' (nurses) are involved - getting naming/numbering correct in a large space where ALSO robots need to understand the convensions... that is south fast.
I have a bunch of solutions on this matter - if you really want to deep into coding... (I orignially designed a coding schema for Lucas Letterman which was shot down by the head of ILM engineering as "the worst Idea He had ever seen" to later incorporate that into his networking duties as head of networking at goog)
Anyway -- I am totally pro QR - but with GPTs, I feel like we are finally at the cusp to leverage them in a meaningful way.
(and for the downvoters - the schema I came up with for ILM was proposed in 2003, He didnt take the reigns at G until ~2008) - If GPT had been involved in some of my design projects- that would have been game changing, thus I propose that the most disruptable industy right now (aside from day trading) is construction.
Tons of models - but a model doesnt reflect real-world encounters/interactions/success...
(Honestly I dont know what to share, vs what to build.