The commemorative 10th anniversary image is a two-dimensional barcode.

Similar to the kinds used in our lab, this large-capacity barcode format was created in Japan, where it has become a meme for transmission of personal information. The code is called QR Code and it can encode up to 2,953 alphanumeric characters.

The QR Code has been used by the Pet Shop Boys for the artwork of the cover of their Integral single. The image on the album encodes the address ofthe group's website, petshopboys.co.uk.

The code's high capacity allowed us to generate a commemorative graphic. The graphic's content stores the full names of all present GSC employees, a link to our web site and a timestamp. To convert the dots to text and extract the content submit the barcode image to the online decoder.

You can generate QR codes and buy labeled products here.

>> by Martin Krzywinski and Stephanie McInnis