Panasonic has developed LCD signs that can beam ID codes linked to ads and other information to smartphone cameras that are 5 meters away or farther.

It’s promoting the technology as an advance beyond QR codes, which require users to hold their phones close to a code when scanning it, as well as a high-speed form of communications using light.

The Hikari ID technology is based on ID signals sent by LEDs that form the backlight of LCD signage. The LEDs flicker on and off at a rate that is imperceptible to the human eye, but it can be picked up by smartphone camera sensors.

The data is divided into blocks to achieve a rate of transmission of several kilobits per second, according to Panasonic. That’s significantly faster than conventional speeds for visible light communication (VLC), a data communications method that can also be triggered by LEDs.

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