The latest barcode technology called “semacode” !!

Ever think of another way of buying things other than going to a store or electronically (over the internet) ? Well, now you have to because there is one, it’s called the semacode system. You all know about barcode, right? This whole semacode system is all started from barcode. For you that doesn’t know about barcode, i’ll explain a little bit about it, barcode is a system that attached to a database which contains information like prices, types or else of a product from a store, you should know it because it’s just a common thing to meet in life, almost all department stores are using it now, it’s that scanner thing that cashiers use to scan the product that we pick when we give it to them at the cashier desk.Semacode use the same ways as barcode, only in semacode the scanners are a little bit different, we will need a mobile phone, but must has a camera embedded on it. Here is how it works, we’ll need a software though.

Semacode’s Software Development Kit is a system for ubiquitous computing. Using this software you can create visual tags for objects and contexts, and read them using a mobile camera phone. The software that runs on your phone will then deliver you to the appropriate mobile content.

Semacode works by embedding a URL (web address) into a sort of two-dimensional barcode which looks like a dense crossword puzzle — called the tag. The software contains capability to detect and decode the tag very rapidly with the camera on your phone. It extracts the URL and sends you to that address using the phone’s built-in browser. The user experience is simple to use and easy to learn. By connecting users from physical media to mobile content, the system creates new affordances, new ways to interact with the objects and media that surround us (including augmented reality, remote presence, social software and location tagging). There are a number of opportunities to use this technology to improve the way people interact and communicate.

In addition, this is an open system. Anyone can create as many semacode tags for as many different URLs as they wish. Millions, even. As long as you own the domain name, the tagging system is completely unrestricted. Better yet, all of the software tools are available freely for non-commercial use. Therefore it is possible to build a complete system (for non-commercial purposes) without restrictions.

Now it even better, not just we can instantly get access to the URL which contains the specs of the semacode-tag-ed product that we took pictures from. We could also buy that product too, how? It’s easy, the H&M company are already using this service. They incorporates semacode to their advertisements, we as readers and consumers has the option to purchase goods with our mobile phone by scanning the semacode bar or tag. Then we’ll be directed to a menu where size and color can be picked. The item will be charged to our cell phone’s bill. how about it?

- info from : semacode.org