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> Can I tweet that??!? > The smallest possible QR code is 21×21 pixels, that’s too many characters to fit into a Tweet. Sorry! Ah, but you're thinking inside

> Can I tweet that??!? > The smallest possible QR code is 21×21 pixels, that’s too many characters to fit into a Tweet. Sorry! Ah, but you're thinking inside the box! With Unicode block elements[1] you can divide a single character into a 2x2 block of "pixels", thus requiring a grid of only 11x11 (121 characters + 10 line breaks). Unicode braille patterns[2] come in 2x3 or 2x4 dot patterns, so depending on your font and how forgiving your QR code reader is, you might be able to use braille patterns for even larger QR codes. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_Elements https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Block_Elements [2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braille_Patterns https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braille_Patterns

d33 6y ago
Also, couldn't error correction allow you to only put part of the QR code?
- edent 6y ago
  Sort of. The 21x21 QR has an error correction of "L". That means up to 7% of the data area can be obscured. Realistically, as the code is a square, you could only lose data from the right hand side while maintaining integrity. A QR with "H" error correction can lose about 30% - but the code takes up a lot more pixels.
- lifthrasiir 6y ago
  QR code needs alignment patterns (5 by 5 bullseye shape) at correct positions to compensate distortion, so that limits the actual saving from entirely omitting the data because removing anything left of alignment patterns would not reduce the size. You also have to account for masking but that's a minor issue (the optimal masking algorithm is a recommendation and not a requirement).
lifthrasiir 6y ago
For the testing purpose, the following is the QR code in the post rendered with braille patterns: ⡏⣭⡍⡇⣲⢱⡆⡏⣭⡍⡇ ⠧⠭⠥⠇⠖⡗⡆⠧⠭⠥⠇ ⡭⠉⢁⠽⣛⠾⢽⠘⣚⡾⠂ ⡬⠬⠭⡍⢟⡉⣔⠱⣛⡦⠃ ⡇⠿⠇⡇⣏⠹⢵⢱⡋⡖⠀ ⠉⠉⠉⠁⠉⠈⠀⠉⠉⠈⠀
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]
- DoctorOW 6y ago
  Couldn't get this one to work. I'm curious if anyone else is able to get that to work.
bhaak 6y ago
I don't think they work well. But the existing box drawing characters might work better, possibly combined with the upcoming symbols for legacy computing being introduced in Unicode 13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box-drawing_character https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box-drawing_character

d33 6y ago

Also, couldn't error correction allow you to only put part of the QR code?

edent 6y ago
Sort of. The 21x21 QR has an error correction of "L". That means up to 7% of the data area can be obscured. Realistically, as the code is a square, you could only lose data from the right hand side while maintaining integrity. A QR with "H" error correction can lose about 30% - but the code takes up a lot more pixels.
lifthrasiir 6y ago
QR code needs alignment patterns (5 by 5 bullseye shape) at correct positions to compensate distortion, so that limits the actual saving from entirely omitting the data because removing anything left of alignment patterns would not reduce the size. You also have to account for masking but that's a minor issue (the optimal masking algorithm is a recommendation and not a requirement).

lifthrasiir 6y ago

For the testing purpose, the following is the QR code in the post rendered with braille patterns: ⡏⣭⡍⡇⣲⢱⡆⡏⣭⡍⡇ ⠧⠭⠥⠇⠖⡗⡆⠧⠭⠥⠇ ⡭⠉⢁⠽⣛⠾⢽⠘⣚⡾⠂ ⡬⠬⠭⡍⢟⡉⣔⠱⣛⡦⠃ ⡇⠿⠇⡇⣏⠹⢵⢱⡋⡖⠀ ⠉⠉⠉⠁⠉⠈⠀⠉⠉⠈⠀

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
DoctorOW 6y ago
Couldn't get this one to work. I'm curious if anyone else is able to get that to work.

bhaak 6y ago

I don't think they work well. But the existing box drawing characters might work better, possibly combined with the upcoming symbols for legacy computing being introduced in Unicode 13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box-drawing_character https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Box-drawing_character