The Development of Museums Network Guide System by using QR Code on Smart Phone

Abstract

Auto-ID technology has proved widely applicable over the past decade, and one prime example of its use is museum guide system improvement. Our previous project inserted a subtype of Auto-ID, namely RFID technology, with wireless audio devices in order to create a tool to guide visitors through museum exhibits. This system was implemented at the National Museum Chaosamphraya and encountered complications during its operative period. Foremost was the number of devices needed to complete the system, which presented as an inconvenience for visitors to carry and museum staff to operate. Additionally, the setup was inflexible with regards to adding or relocating an exhibition point, and required high installation and maintenance costs. Therefore, we developed a solution that replaced RFID technology with QR codes, enabling smart mobile users to navigate the museum tour guide system on personal devices. Using Auto-ID technology, the new system can identify objects by unique ID, stored within a QR code instead of a RFID tag. This system is also capable of accumulating visitor data and other relevant statistics for monitoring and exhibition improvement purposes. However, museums are required to stock and provide smartphones for visitors who do not possess a viable device. This pilot system was installed and tested at the National Science Museum