
Chapter 1
The board game inspiration
Chapter 2
Anatomy of the square
Chapter 3
The magic of error correction
Chapter 4
From factory floor to global daily life
YOUR GOAL
Master of How QR codes work
Ch 1 · The board game inspiration

marcus Denso Wave decided to make the QR code patent-free, allowing anyone in the world to use it.

marcus Engineer Masahiro Hara invented the QR code in 1994 after playing the strategy game Go during his lunch breaks.
Fun Fact
Go board origins: Masahiro Hara designed the QR code grid in 1994 using layout concepts from the ancient strategy game Go.
Glossary
go (noun)
A strategic board game of territory played with black and white stones on a gridded board. In 1994, engineer Masahiro Hara used the game's grid structure to develop the first QR code.
A strategic board game of territory played with black and white stones on a gridded board. In 1994, engineer Masahiro Hara used the game's grid structure to develop the first QR code.
Quiz
How many characters could a standard 1D barcode typically hold before QR codes were invented?
