Sound, Radio & InformationCoding Theory

Broken QR Codes Still Work

Rip out part of a QR code and it can still scan

The QR code on that sticky café table is scratched and torn, yet your phone reads it in a blink. How?

You'll find out

  • How a code rebuilds what it lost
  • How much damage is too much
  • The one spot you should never cover

Why it matters

The same repair math keeps scratched CDs playing and brought Voyager's photos home from Neptune.

About 3 min6 interactive slides · 5 questionsLesson 3 · Zone 1

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More in this zone

  1. 1Graph TheorySix DegreesYou're about six people away from almost anyone
  2. 2ProbabilityThe Birthday SurpriseWith just 23 people, a shared birthday is more likely than not
  3. 4Map ProjectionsMercator's LieGreenland looks as big as Africa; Africa is 14 times bigger
  4. 5GeographyWhy Flights CurveThe shortest route looks bent on a flat map
  5. 6Natural Language ProcessingWhy AI Can't Count the R's in StrawberryAI reads chunks of words, not letters
  6. 7Internet & WebJourney of a ClickTap a link and your request circles the planet in under a second
  7. 8Visual PerceptionThe Blind SpotThere's a hole in your vision and your brain paints over it
  8. 9InfinityHilbert's HotelA full hotel with infinitely many rooms can always fit more guests