QR Codes Revolutionise Safety and Accessibility Across India

Innovative applications of QR code technology are significantly enhancing public safety and accessibility for vulnerable populations across India. From bolstering women’s safety in public transport to aiding the visually impaired with medication information and providing safety nets for individuals with cognitive impairments, QR codes are proving to be a versatile and impactful tool.

In Rajasthan, the police have launched a proactive initiative to improve women’s safety in public transport. By affixing QR code-enabled posters and stickers of the RajCop Citizen App in buses, autorickshaws, and taxis, passengers can easily download the app. This app allows users to access emergency contacts and, with a single click in distress, send their real-time location to the police control room, thereby reducing response times and strengthening coordination between citizens and law enforcement.

Project Chetna, an initiative by a Mumbai-based data engineer, is developing QR code-enabled pendants and bracelets. These are designed to assist neurodivergent children and elderly individuals with conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s. When scanned, the QR codes provide essential information such as the wearer’s name, address, emergency contact number, and blood group, acting as a crucial lifeline if they become lost or disoriented. The project aims to collaborate with government bodies, institutions, and NGOs to ensure widespread access.

Recognising the challenges faced by the visually impaired, a government panel has proposed significant enhancements to medicine packaging. Recommendations include providing Braille cards with secondary packaging for medicines and integrating voice-enabled QR codes onto medicine packs. These measures will empower blind and visually impaired individuals to independently identify and safely use their medications. Karnataka is also advocating for similar QR code integration on medicine strips and plans to propose this to the central government, highlighting the potential to assist not only the visually impaired but also those with language barriers and the elderly.

• QR codes are being deployed in public transport to enhance women’s safety through quick access to emergency services.
• Wearable QR code devices are being developed to aid in locating lost individuals with cognitive impairments or memory loss.
• Government bodies are proposing QR codes and Braille on medicine packaging to improve accessibility for the visually impaired.
• These technological advancements aim to create a safer and more inclusive society.

• Rajasthan Police rolls out QR code-enabled RajCop app in public transport to strengthen women’s safety,
  ETInfra, ET Infra.
• A QR code-enabled pendant for those with autism, Alzheimer’s? Meet the data engineer behind Project Chetna –
  The South First, The South First.
• Govt Panel Proposes Braille Cards, Voice-Enabled QR Codes on Medicine Packs to Aid Visually Impaired, Medical Dialogues.
• Karnataka bats for QR codes on
  medicine strips to help visually impaired; to send proposal to Centre, The New Indian Express.