Why Do QR Codes Still Work When They're Damaged?
The QR code on the restaurant table looked as though it should have stopped working years ago. The laminated card had been scratched so many times that parts of the pattern no longer looked sharp. One corner was beginning to peel away, and a faint stain ran across the surface. It wasn't destroyed, but it certainly wasn't what anyone would call pristine. Still, the menu opened instantly. That small moment is easy to ignore because QR codes work so reliably that most of us barely think about them anymore. We scan one to pay for coffee, another to view a menu, another to track a package. The process feels routine. What doesn't feel routine is what happens when you stop and look closely. A surprising number of QR codes are damaged. Some are scratched. Some are faded. Some have company logos sitting directly in the middle of the pattern. Others are printed on old shipping labels that have spent days being pushed through warehouses, conveyor belts, trucks, and sorting centers. Y...