Written by Samih, Young Voices Young Leader.
Have you heard of accessible QR codes? It’s likely you have not because not many people know what they are, how they work or where to find them, so you are not alone!
An Accessible QR (AQR) code combines a standard QR code with a dot-dash pattern positioned around one corner of the code. This enhanced design increases the detection and scanning distance, announcing all the information related to the product or signage using the device’s accessibility features (e.g. text-to-speech, larger fonts) for blind or partially sighted (BPS) individuals. The code maintains the original destination of the QR code for sighted users when scanned with a standard QR code reader or device camera.
Most items you buy use a barcode or QR code. This is often difficult for blind and partially sighted people to pick up and scan just using their phone camera as it requires very precise camera angles. Therefore, the demand for an AQR code has been growing which companies such as Zap Vision and NaviLens have been working on to revolutionise the shopping experience for BPS people.
Zap Vision have developed AQR codes which are already integrated into existing apps such as Envision, Seeing AI and the AI section of Be My Eyes. Zap Vision’s AQR Codes are already being adopted by some of the world’s biggest multinational companies including Unilever (Persil washing products), Bayer (Berocca) and Diageo (Colman’s) amongst others. If we take Unilever alone, AQRs are already on 18 of their brands worldwide with the aim of them being on 250 million items by the start of 2025.
NaviLens are another provider of AQR codes who have developed their own app (search for ‘NaviLens’ in your app store) to access their AQR codes. Their AQR Codes are slightly different and instead feature a range of colours (pink, yellow and blue) in patterns which can be detected at a much further range and angle than a classic QR code. They have secured their AQR code onto products by brands such as Kellogg’s, Coca-Cola and Muller (which TPT helped to make happen!).
We are part of Thomas Pocklington Trust’s Young Voices group who are passionate about making retail more accessible to BPS people. We want to promote AQR codes and encourage other blind and partially sighted people to explore them too. We will be creating more content such as articles and videos to explain their usability in more detail.
For now, we encourage you to explore the AQR Codes that are out there, download some apps, such as NaviLens or Be my Eyes, try them for yourself when in a retail environment and let us know what you think. Any feedback would be appreciated to help us improve this great initiative further to help make retail accessible.
Please get in touch via Kate O’Hagan, Student Participation Manager, Kate at: Kate.ohagan@pocklington.org.uk
This online community is for blind and partially sighted students, family and friends, education providers and other staff in the sector. It forms a supportive environment where relevant news, advice, questions and pieces of work can be shared to enable students with visual impairments to get the most out of their time at university.
Join our Facebook group
