Blind man using technology
Zappar, the venerable UK studio that was one of the pioneers in mobile AR, announced the launch of Zapvision, an Accessible QR code solution, which helps blind and partially sighted people access information related to items on store shelves and cupboards at home. The company calls this enhancement to existing QR codes “Accessible QR,” a slight modification that makes codes readable from a greater distance when applied to packaging, over 1 meter away. “Accessible QR” then activates a device’s accessibility functions like VoiceOver to announce product details. Accessible QR codes are now on packaging for Unilever brands Persil capsules and Ultimate Liquids in the UK.
Zappar partnered with Unilever and collaborated with The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). “I saw this incredibly powerful video [above – ed.] eighteen months ago when we first started working on this,” said Caspar Thykier, founder and CEO of Zappar. “We realized that we have technology that can help solve this problem. Now it’s about creating a movement with and alongside progressive and thought leading brands like Unilever to try and help overcome this problem for blind and partially sighted people.”
Many blind people are already using assistive technology in their daily lives, such as Microsoft SeeingAI, Envision AI, and Be My Eyes. Zappar announced it is already working to integrate Zapvision with Microsoft SeeingAI.
From the popular Tik Tok feed Badassblindbabe.
Visually impaired people have a very hard time in retail environments. “Thank god for Amazon” said Jessie Wolinsky, a partially sighted Tik Tok influencer with 50K followers, posting as badassblindbabe. “But everyone has to shop for food.” Wolinksy has lost most of her vision to retinitis pigmentosa. “Everyone has to go to the store, but it’s time consuming. I can’t read the labels. I take pictures and blow them up to read the packaging. Something like this would be a game changer for me.”
“Brands around the world battle the issue of limited space on pack, so this new Accessible QR code solution supports that challenge – not just for Unilever products, but across all industries,” said Sarah Masters, Digital Transformation Director at Unilever.
Persil packaging with Accessible QR code from Zappar.
The challenge isn’t just scanning a single product, it’s also how you deal with the complexity of many products (and codes) being recognized in the camera view at the same time and how you order and structure the information in a way that makes sense to the end user.” Caspar Thykier explains.
Accessible QR solution incorporates a unique patent-pending D3 ‘dot-dot-dash’ pattern around a traditional QR code. This pattern increases the scanning distance of a standard QR printed at 15mm on pack by 7x to announce the product category, and 4x for detailed information related to the product. The information presented is provided in a structured way designed with blind and partially sighted users in mind and interacts with the device’s configured accessibility features, displaying information in larger text or via audio, giving blind and partially sighted people access to all the information available on pack – instructions, ingredients, safety warnings, recycling information, promotions etc.
These new enhanced ‘Accessible QR’ codes require a simple print change to the existing QR artwork for packaging delivering a single code scheme that can be placed on packaging that is accessible to everyone, whatever their visual acuity. Sighted users can still scan the QR code with their existing camera or QR code reader of choice and be taken to the product’s landing page; blind and partially sighted users can scan the same QR using an app that contains the royalty-free Zapvision SDK and receive the same product information tailored to their needs and requirements.
Unilever and Zappar were awarded ‘Best In Class’ award for ‘IOU Universal Design’ at the packaging industry PAC Global Awards. Now on Persil capsules in plastic-free packaging and Ultimate Liquids across the UK, this innovation starts a new conversation around enhanced QR on packs, helping blind and partially sighted communities around the world more easily access product information from product packaging both in a store and in a home setting.