I Ching

A Modern Alternative to QR code

The visual barcode is based on the I Ching hexagrams in The Book of Changes, an ancient Chinese text and divination method, which is said to have inspired the possibility of binary notation to represent even the most complex of things.

Nodle entrusted us with 3 aspects of the I Ching’s implementation: to build the encoder and decoder to turn strings into barcode and vice versa, to design and create a web app to allow easy use of the encoder and decoder, and finally, a white paper to explain the implementation process.

Hexagram to String

The decoder allows you to convert a I Ching barcode into a string. Through research and testing, we decided to take an algorithmic approach, rather than a typical machine learning approach to build this from scratch. This saved time since it doesn't depend on training models, and will allow Nodle to easily create new versions of the I Ching barcode. We also worked on refining best practices of image binarisation and raw data extraction.

Designing & Building the Web App

Tasked with building a web app to allow developers to encode and decode the barcode online, we worked to envision how developers might feel, and how to engage them through research and journey mapping. We created a clear brand for the I Ching, with logo, white paper, and landing page.

An Exciting Future

With millions of IoT devices connected to Nodle’s network, we’re excited to have been part of their journey as they get closer to ensuring free internet access around the world.

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