76 | L&L HOT OFF THE PRESS CAROL HOUGHTON ROUNDS UP THE LATEST NEWS IN <strong>SMART</strong> TECHNOLOGY QR CODES BLOSSOMS The trend for smart phone technology is growing in more ways than one. This year’s Chelsea Flower Show, held annually in the UK by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), featured a QR code garden with a focal wall of vertical planting in the shape of a QR code. Incorporating technology and horticulture, visitors were able to scan the code for access to The QR Code Garden website, providing further project information. QR technology was also used throughout the show to enhance the visitor experience. The garden was designed by landscape architect, Jade Goto in collaboration with Green Graphite. ‘The space references the formal garden traditions through the use of sharp geometric form and clipped topiary, but is brought into the present day through the engagement with this exciting new way of accessing virtual information.’ more control over brand communication. The look and feel of a package will always be important because our brains respond to visuals and colors before they decipher words. However, an evolved experience that stimulates the modern LABELS&LABELING SPINLABELS can be used to indicate correct dosage for OTC product consumer is necessary to engage them in an on-going dialogue. NFCs are a great way to do this. You can provide additional content and interactive ways of engaging the consumer that are memorable – and you don’t have to rely on the retailer to cultivate the perfect environment. It’s like the old adage says: “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I’ll understand”.’ FUTURE OF QR Madelyn Postman, from branding design agency Grain Creative, finds the challenge with QR codes is in creating something intriguing and relevant, which goes beyond a gimmick. ‘Labels and packaging lend themselves to the use of QR codes for special promotions, event information and even videos. They provide an opportunity for consumer engagement.’ One intriguing use of QR codes is a virtual store where images of products are displayed on a screen, making it possible to purchase or reserve an item by scanning a product’s QR code. A virtual store was created by Tesco at a train station in South Korea, and UK retailer Argos ran a similar campaign at London’s Paddington station in the run up to Christmas 2011. In addition, Chicago will soon have its first virtual store. ‘This interaction of a real-life installation and the virtual link creates a compelling offer’, says Postman. However, she questions the future of the technology; ‘If I had to predict if QR codes would still be popular in three years, I would say no. You need an app to read a QR code, so again it takes about as much time to open the app and scan the code as it does to open a browser and type in a simple url.’ TECHNOLOGY AIDS VISUALLY IMPAIRED One of France’s leading label converters, Stratus Group, has come to the aid of the visually impaired with the launch of its Smart Audio Label (SAL). The SAL is composed of a QR code overprinted by a 3D Braille symbol. The raised Braille image demonstrates to the user where the QR code is located. Once scanned with a smart phone, this code directs the user to an audio message stored on a server, providing access to more information about the product. Stratus is working with major retail chains and several associations for the visually impaired to develop the project. The codes are printed using flexography with silkscreen for the raised symbol. And in another development, French student Arman Martirosyan has developed a smart barcode scanner which fits on the fingertip like a thimble. When the user scans a product, information is communicated via Bluetooth to an earpiece. Martirosyan developed the concept through interacting with blind friends: ‘My friend has the layout of the grocery store memorized. The only time he needs assistance is when selecting the specific object when in the aisle – such as selecting a certain brand of cereal in the breakfast aisle. With Finger Code, he could do this independently if he has memorized the general layout of the aisle. The Finger Code would also be helpful in the house, such as when identifying cans of food.’ SPINLABELS INDICATE OTC DOSAGE A label which rotates to show additional information has been added to an over the counter (OTC) pharmaceutical delivery system targeted at children, indicating correct dosage based on a weight, rather than age. The Spinformation ‘spin’ label comprises of two labels. Primary information is displayed on the top label, which incorporates several windows or clear panels. The label is twisted to reveal the correct recommendation based on the child’s weight displayed in one of the windows. The rotating label was developed by Stephen Key Design in response to research by the American Medical Association which shows that as many as 70 percent of children receive inaccurate doses of over-the-counter medicine. The interactive label is now being used on AccuDial OTC medications following the company’s acquisition of Stephen Key Design in 2011. ALPVISION LAUNCHES APP FOR IPHONE 4 AlpVision has launched an iPhone 4 instant authentication application capable of detecting its Varnish Cryptoglyph technology – a pseudorandom pattern of invisible micro-holes embedded in the standard varnish layer applied to folding carton, blister packs, and labels in the printing process.
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