KNOW WHY EVERY QR CODE HAS 3 BIG SQUARES !

Nowadays, we see QR codes almost everywhere. While doing UPI payments, using WhatsApp web, going to a website, or seeking additional information, QR codes come in handy. Every QR code has one thing in common, they have 3 squares on the corner. This may seem to be quite normal but they have a specific purpose to serve. In this article, we will explore the reason behind those three squares on the QR code.

A QR code or Quick Response code is a type of two-dimensional barcode invented in 1994 by the Japanese automotive company with the purpose to track vehicles during manufacturing. The Quick Response system became popular due to its fast readability and greater storage capacity compared to standard barcodes. A QR code consists of black squares arranged in a square grid on a white background, which can be read by an imaging device such as a camera. The point of the QR code is to allow you to easily access their website without typing any web addresses into your phone — just by scanning a picture.

When your Smartphone scans the QR code, it translates that information into something that can be easily understood by humans. QR codes can be divided into various parts as shown below.

1. Quiet zone: An empty white border that makes it possible to isolate the code from among other printed information (for example, on a dirty envelope, among the black and white print of a newspaper).

2. Finder patterns: One unique feature of QR code is that it can be read at any orientation be it at angle or upside down. These 3 squares allow the reader (an app on your smartphone or a dedicated one) to determine the code’s orientation, size and viewing angle. If all 4 corners were the same, the scanner would not know if the code was the right way up, upside down, or rotated 90 degrees clockwise or anticlockwise.

3. Alignment pattern: This ensures the code can be read even if it's distorted (viewed at an angle, printed on a curved surface, and so on).

4. Timing pattern: This runs horizontally and vertically between the three finder patterns and consists of alternate black and white squares. The timing pattern makes it easy to identify the individual data cells within a QR code and is especially useful when the code is damaged or distorted.

5. Version information: There are various different versions of the QR code standard; the version information (positioned near two of the finder patterns) simply identifies which one is being used in a particular code.

6. Data cells: Each individual black or white square that's not part of one of the standard features (the timing, alignment, and other patterns) contains some of the actual data in the code.

So, QR codes contain a lot of data that we see in form of boxes. Every pattern of QR code has a different set of data inside. So from the next time you see a QR code, you know the purpose of those 3 squares.

Thank you for reading the article.

KNOW WHY FLUSH HAS 2 BUTTONS !!

Modern-day toilets come with two flush buttons, one is smaller than the other. Have you ever imagined why there are two buttons? Let us discuss the reason behind this in the following article.

This type of arrangement is known as Dual Flush. Modern toilets have 2 types of levers or buttons and both buttons are attached to the exit valve. The two buttons dis-engage valves at different heights in the flush tank. Usually, the smaller one has its exit valve at a higher level which gives a smaller discharge of water. The second button is connected to the lower exit valve and empties the complete tank.

In short, pressing the big button gives 6 to 9 liters of water, and pressing the small button gives 3 to 4.5 liters of water. Clearly, the larger one is to flush solid waste and the smaller one is to flush liquid waste. This is a smart way of water conservation.

According to the reports, if Dual Flushing is adopted instead of Single Flush at a house, then 20 thousand liters of water can be saved annually. You must have been surprised to hear this, but it is true. Though the installation may cost you a little more than the normal flush, it is eco-friendly and helps cut down on water bills. So, the next time you use the toilet, flush as per your need.

KNOW WHY THIS FLAG LIKE STRUCTURE IS USED IN AIRPORTS !!

You might have seen these flag-like objects on airports and wondered what are these used for. This cone-like object plays a vital role in the aviation industry. In this article, we are going to discuss the importance and purpose of this object.

These objects are known as industrial windsocks or “wind cones” or sometimes “air cones”. It is a kind of kite tube manufactured from synthetic cloth, nylon or rubber in the shape of an ice cream cone that is open at one end by a stiff metal ring.

The main purpose of safety aviation windsocks installed on airfields, international airports, helipads, and heliports is to give the pilot a quick reference about wind direction and the approximate wind speed. Pilots need to calculate wind velocity during take-off and landing to ensure it is safe for the aircraft. The wind direction and speed can directly impact the distance a plane needs to travel on the ground before taking off or coming to a stop on the runway. Before accelerating before take-off, pilots take a quick glance at it and give the necessary input while strolling down the runway.

Although most airports also provide more accurate weather information for pilots, from automated weather observation systems but sometimes the windsock is the only indication of wind speed and direction.

Working of windsock:

Windsocks may be solid orange, yellow, or white and should not have any lettering or logos. The ones that are the best indicators of wind speed, however, have alternating colors—such as orange and white—or have stripes at key points.

The wind direction is the opposite of the direction in which the windsock is pointing. This means if the wind blowing from the West the windsock would point towards the East.

Windsock is made to orient against the wind when the wind speed reaches three knots (3.5 mph). At that wind speed, only the first segment of the windsock will extend. The second segment of the sock extends when the wind speed has reached six knots; the third segment, nine knots; and the fourth segment, 12 knots. At a wind speed of 15 knots (17 mph) or more, the windsock will fully extend and point away from the direction from which the wind originates.

Windsock data is used in every aspect of aviation, not just at airports large and small. In addition to being applied at military airstrips and private airfields, and at commercial or domestic helipads, windsocks are also used in areas where people take paragliding or parachute flights. You may even spot a windsock at a hot air balloon launch and landing site, to assist in safe flying.