How QR barcode system can help electronic recycling business

Executive Summary

Electronic recycling business is one of the rapid growing sectors. There are many electronic devices were left in landfills while the electronics recycler should have enough space and equipments to handle with the large volume of deliveries and chemical toxic. QR barcode system is possibly one of effective tools for this business in global market as it is free to create and free to read. Tracking the amount of times that the code has been scanned is so easy for everyone. The code usefulness is effectively measure by the information. QR barcode system can help electronic recycling business trough the list of acceptable items by specifying the code into products surface. It could be helpful for onsite staff to repair electronic devices rapidly without confusing of products qualities as the business can put the data of products and analyse the details through software to create a QR barcode. As there are various toxic metals in products, so it is not easy to classify dangerous products in large quantity by manufacturers. QR barcode can also help the business to identify dangerous products by allowing the single symbol to represent in various symbols as the single symbol can be separated into 16 symbols. Therefore, it can be implied that the QR barcode can provide firms value in various ways.

1. Introduction

This paper aims to examine how QR barcode can help electronic recycling business by dividing into four main parts. The first part is introduction that presents current situation of electronic recycling business and background of QR barcode. Then the methodology shows the frameworks of this paper in next part follow by critical evaluation. Finally, it also indicates conclusion and recommendations in the last part.

1.1 Current situation of electronic recycling business

Recently, one among the rapid growing sectors is the recycling and it seems to develop into one of the future main industries. On international scale, the strongly increasing of the electric and electronic equipment (EEE) consumption results on the extent of e-waste volumes. The shortening of IT equipment lifetime is boosted by this trend according to the rapid technology advancement. In 2007, Green Choices Reuse and Recycling Center consumer reports have noted about 20% of aged computers, 30% of wrecked televisions and 40% of unused cell phones were left by consumers (Zhang, 2011). Instead hitting to the recycling center, millions of electronic devices were left in landfills while the electronics recycler should have enough space and equipments to handle with the large volume of deliveries. It requires that an electronics recycler shall have the space for disassembly, dock for delivery and a small office to manage all the tasks related administrative. Workers in disassembly area must use gloves and defensive goggles to keep away from injury from wires, plastic covers, and metal accents separating process out of the electronic devices (Cole, 2010).

1.2 QR barcode Background

According to Gura et al. (2011), Quick Response (QR) barcodes have the originate place linking to the barcodes/UPC labels. Originally, Barcodes were designed to speed up the purchasing process and inventory of track. As the replacement of barcodes, the QR barcodes were designed to provide technological advantage, which could use to store big amount of information. To generate the interactive and meaningful customer experience, we can set up the program of QR barcodes to start up the applications for instance, web browsers, email, SMS, IM, even, the streaming video (Roebuck, 2011). The promises are held by QR barcodes in many arenas, sometimes, various applications they have in the space of social media are the most exciting thing. The smart phones fast proliferation allows most of the business owners to view QR barcodes as another built-in feature, or via the easy app download. The smart phone as a complementary technology has reached the fast market penetration, which moved the QR barcodes from the moderate dormant technology into the commercially viable technology. The dispersion of the smart phone has led to the extensive used of QR barcodes and speedy dispersion all through the market (Blakeman, 2011).

2. Methodology

As regarding to the statement of problem of electronic recycling business currently, the key objective of this paper is to analyse the technical term of QR barcodes for electronic recycling business based on the following question: How can QR barcode system help electronic recycling business? In order to complete the main question above, the author draws a framework of this study as presented in figure below.

Figure 1: Framework of the study According to figure above, the combined analysis of technology and business are presented in critical evaluation part. After the answers are found, the conclusion and recommendations will be provided in the last section.

3. Critical evaluation

Technology Adoption Life Cycle of QR codes at this point was found to start by many companies to leverage their technology in diverse applications. It still can be seen that the companiesalong the applicationsmonetize their technology at best however, several firms found having start to take charge on this area (Roebuck, 2011). It was concerned by the firm in the targeted mobile advertising they have and seek for the particular interest on QR codes (Gura et al., 2011). Regarding to the current situation of electronic recycling business, the guideline to accept the products according to the long-term goals, the demand of clients, and the applicable law on hazardous materials handling must be set. If it is needed by the electronics recycling business to refurbish and reselling their electronic devices, the limit list of acceptable items that are able to repair by the onsite staff shall be made (Cole, 2010). QR barcode system can be an effective tool for the list of acceptable items by specifying the code into products surface. CCD sensor (area sensor) will be used for the implementation of the reading matrix symbols. The scan line data will be captured by the sensor then, stored in the memory. After that, we

will manage the detail analysis by software as well as, identify the finder patterns, and detect the location/dimension/perspective of the symbol then, the process of decoding will be operated (Roebuck, 2011); (see figure 2 & 3). This would be helpful for onsite staff to repair it rapidly without confusing of products qualities as the business can put the data of products and analyse the details through software to create a QR barcode then.

Figure 2: Finder Pattern

Figure 3: Identifying a QR barcode

Electronics recyclers are however committed among many products such as, the selling plastic, glass, and metal. After the local lead processing, the producers might accept wider range of goods since, they do not want to concern on the repairing. The guideline to handle for the old damage products onsite should be set for all the electronics recycler in order to serve for the environmental protection laws by state and federal (Walsh, 2009). Mercury or other toxic metals may be contained in television, computers, and other electronic devices and it can be harmful if not handle properly. Therefore, QR barcode can help the business to separate the products in which are safe and dangerous. Furthermore, regarding to the various toxic metals in products, it is not easy to classify dangerous products in large quantity by manufacturers. So, it is the responsibility of recycler to indentify the details of toxic in various categories through QR barcode systems. According to Gura et al. (2011), the linkage functional in QR barcode will allow the single symbol to represent in various symbols as

divided. At maximum, the single symbol can be separated into 16 symbols. As the example is shown in Figure 4 that a single QR Code is separated into four symbols where each of them has presented the indicator on how much of symbols that had been divided into from the original symbol and in which order that the particular symbol locate among all divided. All the data would be enabled to be edited then, submitted into the computer without regard of which order that the readers have read the symbols.

Figure 4: Linking the symbols

In other word, the recycler should separate the dangerous products apart from the safe products, then, uses QR barcode by dividing into different toxics. This would be useful for manufacturers to avoid them and manage them by using adequate safety devices and storage approach that maintain safety in the workplace. As stated by Walsh (2009), the community is necessary to be encouraged by the electronics recyclers to leave their old computer and TVs. Moreover, the owners of recycling business need to be involved in the designed events, which placed the colorful flyers and posters throughout the town to save the environment. The electronic recycling owners however can make recognition of their business name in their consumers mind whenever there is the environmental sustainability forum or Earth Day cleanup. Website must also be developed by the recyclers with the list of all materials acceptable and giving the reasons that the consumers electronics shall be recycled also, giving them the information of contact (Gura et al., 2011). To market for the electronic recycling business, the best way is to support the drives for recycling in the local neighborhoods. Spots in the owners websites shall be provided to be the most community active recyclers and to retrieve the electronics recycling incentives.

JumpScan becomes a company among others that has potentially to be benefit from the QR barcodes in their website as the company was stated up from this technology diffuses with the concept to connect the physical world to the virtual one through using QR barcodes. It has combined the social media activities and the contact information to allow for the active sharing on the ways (Fitzpatrick, 2011). With the appropriate people using number of JumpScan technology, the model of business has become the virtuous cycle that balance when the technology was employed by more users and then, it was shared to friends; and if it lost the users, the companies may turn to consider on advertising; and if their advertising can serve well for highly-targeted messages which offer more applicable advertising then, more number of people will employ technology; then the advertise of this platform would be done by more advertisers (Fitzpatrick, 2011). Simultaneously, the great opportunity on revenue has resulted from the customized of enterprise services to JumpScan while, the cycle of virtuous starts to be taken off.

4. Conclusion and Recommendations

4.1 Conclusion
In conclusion, the firms value can be provided by the QR codes in various ways. From the view of the investor, certainly the firms with strategic vision also, employ the innovative approach of QR code technology usage will be benefit for the long run. Marketing initiatives that promote the interaction among consumers and the succeeding feedback loop (technology and research) has represented the strong value scheme that the companies have the prospect to discern themselves from their competitors. QR barcode system is an effective tool for the list of acceptable items by specifying the code into products surface. It is helpful for onsite staff to repair electronic items rapidly without confusing of products qualities as the business

can put the data of products and analyse the details through software to create a QR barcode. In addition, QR barcode can help the business to separate the products in which are safe and dangerous as it is the responsibility of recycler to indentify the details of toxic in various categories through QR barcode systems.

4.2 Recommendations
There will be the winner and the loser in any technology, and there are various choices that can make the QR codes become the losers in this space of the marketplace if the QR emerges to lead for the standard of barcode technology. Provided in figure 5 is the side-by-side of some the competitors and QR codes variations comparison (Walsh, 2009). Figure 5: Competitors and variations of QR barcodes

For the electronics recycler who used to experience with some achievement in the droppedoff products processes should enlarge into other community-oriented services. They can provide the pickup services from homes, schools, and businesses that have held sufficient devices and meet with the least amount weight required. In addition to this, another service that can generate supplemental revenue is the newer electronics to refurbish and resell with the donated consumers permission. On their website, the recycler can post any information of prices, refurbishing details and images to support for local and online sales. In addition, to become the stronger part in the community, the electronics recyclers can moreover, make possible of donation drives with the benefit schools or, the nonprofit local agencies (Gura et al., 2011). These drives can help the groups of fundraising to send hundreds of electronics devices and obtain the checks from the assessed value based and minus from the processing fee.

References

Blakeman, R. (2011). .Strategic Uses of Alternative Media: Just the Essentials. M.E. Sharpe, USA. Cole, F. (2010). Starting an Electronics Recycling Business [online]. Available at: <http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4880765_starting-electronics-recycling-business.html> [Accessed on February 25, 2012]. Fitzpatrick, J. (2011). JumpScan Is a QR Code Portal to Your Virtual Life. [online]. Available at: <http://lifehacker.com/5722496/jumpscan-is-a-qr-code-portal-to-your-virtuallife> [Accessed on February 25, 2012].

Gura, D., OShea, K. and Reddy, A. (2011). QR Codes. [online]. Available at: <http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/greenstein/ftp/Teaching/papers/QRCodes.pdf> [Acessed on February 26, 2012].

Roebuck, K. (2011). Qr Code: High-Impact Strategies - What You Need to Know: Definitions, Adoptions, Impact, Benefits, Maturity, Vendors. Lightning Source Inc., USA.

Walsh, A. (2009). Quick response codes and libraries. Library Hi Tech News. Vol. 26. No. 5/6. pp.7 9.

Zhang, K. (2011). Recycling of Electronic Waste II: Proceedings of the Second Symposium. John Wiley & Sons,USA.

Appendix

Specification of the QR barcode

Table 1: The specification of the QR barcode

a) Symbol Size QR Code can have its size freely selected according to the data volume to be stored and the reading method. The symbol size is incremented by four cells in both vertical and horizontal direction - 21x21 cells, 25x25 cells, 29x29 cells..., and there are 40 size types with the maximum size set to 177x177 cells. For example, in the case for 45x45 cells, if a single square cell is sized 0.25mm, one side of the symbol will be 45x0.25mm = 11.25mm. The quiet zone will need to be added on both sides of the symbol whose minimum size is four cells, and therefore, the space required for having this symbol printed will be a square of (4+45+4) x 0.25mm which is 13.25mm.

b) Information Type and Volume QR Code can handle various types of data such as numerical characters, alphabets, signs, Kanji characters, Hiragana, Katakana, control signs, and images. It can basically have character sets supported by ISO/IEC 646 and ISO/IEC 10646. These data can also coexist. The maximum available volume of the information is listed in Table 1. c) Data Conversion Efficiency QR Code has four types of conversion mode - numerical characters, alphanumerical/signs, binary, and Kanji characters- for encoding the data. Each mode has had considerations to improve its conversion efficiency. The number of cells required for each character in each mode is listed in Table 1. d) Error Correction Functionality QR Code has an error correction functionality for restoring the data. There are four different restoration levels so that you can select the level that matches with each usage environment. Each restoration capability is as listed in Table 1.

Standardizing the QR barcode

To make the adoption of QR Code wide spread, the infrastructure needs to be maintained so that the users can use them in a safe manner. The most important among the entire infrastructure is to standardise the symbols. QR Code had been established as an AIM International Standard (AIM-ITS 97/01), which is a standard in the automatic identification industry, in October 1997. Then, it was registered in the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS-X0510) in 1999, and was also adopted as the standard two-dimensional symbol to be used for EDI standard transaction forms in the Japanese automobile industry (JAMA-EIE001) in the same year. It was proposed as a standard to ISO/IEC JTC 1 SC 31 based on these AIM International Standard, Japan Industrial Standard, and the Japanese automotive standard code. It was approved as an ISO/IEC JTC 1 international standard (ISO/IEC 18004) in 2000. Additionally, since it can efficiently handle various languages used in various countries such as Chinese characters, it has been adopted by Guojia Biaozhun (Chinese National Standard) in 2000 (GB/T 18284), by Korean National Standards in 2002 (KS-X ISO/IEC 18004), and by Tien Chuan Viet Nam (Vietnam National Standard) in 2003 (TCVN7322).