QR-Commando Nerd Patches

 Tikaro Interactive's P8tch

Ever wanted to wear a URL???

Tikaro Interactive, a Pennsylvania-based company, is selling 2x4-inch, velcro-backed patches (called p8tches) with “Mysterious Commando Designs” on the top, and a QRCodes on the bottom.

While QR adoption rates, statistics and trends are difficult to find, Mskynet , one of the largest 2D barcode makers in the US, claimed in December 2009 that their QR Code Generator usage had well surpassed the 10,000,000 (10 Million) QR Code impressions per month (Mskynet Blog).  Therefore, while US penetration has long lagged behind countries like Japan in QR adoption, the trend seems to be on the rise.

I think the penetration of QR codes in the US and UK will increase  with advances in mobile technology and subsequent drops in handset prices, where more and more consumers will own smartphones.  More importantly, though, QR codes will be able to make a comeback (not that they ever really made a splash to begin with) as people become more comfortable interacting with new mobile technologies, such as AR applications, and are willing to engage in other online/offline blending behaviours.

I can imagine a really cool laser-tag-like offline game where people compete to drive the most traffic to certain sites, or to find certain locations based on QR code-directed maps.  It could also be a fun way of tagging people – I might order a bunch of sosticky P8tches and “sostick” them to buses, lamp posts, tourists, etc…

I could go on and on imagining fun QR code games, but my geek meter is blinking orange, so I’ll leave it with you.  What are your thoughts on QR codes and do you think that personal offline applications of the technology, such as P8tches, will hit the radar?

P8tches come in a variety of nerd-tastic designs and can be purchased for $24.95 at Tikaro's shop in the Boing Boing Bizaar.

P8tch design

via Springwise

Update - just came across these Foursquare Nerd Merit Badges! According to Mashable their production is pending approval from Foursquare. @NerdMeritBadges has almost 4,500 followers on Twitter... wowwwww.  A nice idea for the geeks in your life :)

Nerd Merit Badges