QRpedia is a web system for mobile devices, like mobile phones. It uses QR codes to show Wikipedia articles to people. The articles are shown in the user's own language.[1][2]
A user uses their mobile device to scan a QRpedia QR code. The device decodes the QR code into a web address. The address has the domain name "qrwp.org". The last part of the web address is the title of a Wikipedia article.
The device sends a request for the article to the QRpedia web server. It also transmits the name of the language used by the device.[3]
The QRpedia server then uses Wikipedia's API[1] to find out if there is a version of the specified Wikipedia article in the language used by the device. If there is, it sends back the article in a mobile-friendly format.[3] If there is no translation of the requested article, then the QRpedia server offers a choice of the available languages. It also offers a Google translation.
In this way, a single QRcode can be used to find the same article, in many languages.[3] QRpedia also records usage statistics.[3][4]
QRpedia was invented by Roger Bamkin,[1] then chairman of Wikimedia UK,[5] and Terence Eden.[1] who is a mobile web consultant.[6] It was unveiled on 9 April 2011[1] It was unveiled at Derby Museum's Backstage Pass event.[1][6] The event was part of the GLAM/Derby collaboration between Derby Museum and Art Gallery and Wikipedia.[7] During the collaboration, over 500 Wikipedia articles were also created. The articles were in several languages. The project's name is a made-up word, using the initials "QR" from "QR (Quick Response) code" and "pedia" from "Wikipedia".
The project's source code is has a MIT License. This means that anyone can use it, free.[8]
QRpedia is used at:
QRpedia is also used in other kinds of places. For example, the Occupy movement uses it on their posters.[15]