Wikipedia has chosen the Welsh town of Monmouth in the UK for a new project that will make use of QR codes. The project will be named Monmothpedia and aims to document the life of the entire town. Several prominent locations, people and historic artifacts will be linked to a mobile Wikipedia page that can be accessed by scanning QR codes with a smart phone. Residents of the city will also take part in the project, as Wikipedia is tapping the populace for articles about life in the city.
Each article will be linked to a unique QR code. When scanned, the codes will take smart phone users to a mobile website where they can read the article in full. The articles will be geotagged, allowing visitors to the city to find the location the article is referring to. Smart phone users will also be able to take a virtual tour of the location with the help of Wikipedia’s augmented reality software.
Wikipedia plans to place codes associated with historic monuments and locations in specialized plaques, while others will be affixed to printed notices or made into stickers. The articles themselves will be in a variety of languages, including Welsh and English. The Monmouthpedia project is open to all those who wish to contribute. The project is to be governed by the same rules that govern Wikipedia contributions.
