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I wonder if he will get this off the ground?
Imagine a world where you can scan a QR code on a gravestone and be instantly transported into a treasure trove of memories, photos, and videos, capturing the essence of a person's life” - this is the hook for a new startup business by a Gloucestershire man who wants technology to change the way we remember and honour loved ones.
Living in Cheltenham, Wayne Parker has decided to set up 'My QR Legacy' after he had a friend who was terminally ill and died without leaving videos for his children. The idea behind his business involves a QR code which you can attach to your loved one's gravestone.
The concept is that as you approach a gravestone adorned with a QR code, you can “feel a mix of anticipation and reverence. With a simple scan using your smartphone, the screen comes alive with a digital portal, unlocking a wealth of memories that would otherwise be confined to the past.
“Suddenly you are transported on a journey through time where you can relive cherished moments and gain deeper insights into the life and legacy of the person laid to rest.” For Wayne he believes that his startup business is about preserving people's memories and keeping their legacy alive.
Wayne's idea is all not just about gravestones as he hopes to find an opening into attaching fresh QR codes into information boards for war memorials. He is currently in touch with local historians about My QR Legacy because providing important information about Commonwealth War Graves is another avenue where a QR Code will tell the stories of soldiers who fought and died in war.
It's about letting people find out what this person's life was like,” Wayne said. “I think we should all be able to leave behind a legacy.
“I know it might sound a bit morbid but I do think this is good. I know some might want this private and I understand that".
By attaching a QR code to the gravestone, Wayne says that "through a seamless interface, you can explore a vast collection of photographs, capturing the milestones and special occasions that shaped their existence. These snapshots become windows into their world, allowing you to witness their joy, laughter, and the bonds they shared with family and friends.
“You can zoom in, scroll through albums, and even leave virtual comments or messages, fostering a sense of connection and remembrance.”
Hoping to expand his business beyond Gloucestershire to across the UK and maybe even the world, Wayne says that while he hopes to make a living out of My QR Legacy, the money is not the important thing for him. My QR Legacy is due to launch in October.
"I hope I'm giving something back,” Wayne said. “I hope that in 500 years time this is still going strong and I want this to be normal. We are in a digital age and it isn't going to stop".
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Interesting AnnG.....gone but not forgotten :-) <3
It won't be for everyone as he says but interesting nevertheless :-)
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Sounds interesting Ann.
I can see a difficulty with maintaining a platform on which to view it in decades to come.
That’s where pen and paper is so handy ;-)
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It's an interesting idea and on the surface seems like a good one, but I can see a few problems.
As Von says, how will they keep it all viewable in time to come. Technology moves on quite quickly and QR codes might be out of date before long. It's all very well putting a QR code on a loved one's gravestone but living family may not want all their photo archives etc. available for general viewing. Wouldn't everyone in a family have to agree to it? I can see a few arguments there! How will it be monitored so that inappropriate material isn't shown?
Good luck to Wayne Parker. We need people with innovative ideas but I suspect he needs to do more research yet. October might be a bit early for a launch.
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Yes I think more work is needed.
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Will we have enough room for gravestones in the future?
My 4 x grandfather was buried in the grounds of Romsey Abbey, in 1842.
In the 1940's they decided to remove the stones of the 'not so holy', and use them as flagstones for a path!
My grandad's first wife was buried in a huge graveyard in Southampton, in 1924.
Grandad kept the burial plot receipt.
In the 1960's the Council decided burial plots should have a rent' attached.
By then, my grandad had died, as had the rest of his first wife's family (she, and grandad had no children)..
By the time I went to find her, someone else was buried in her plot!
Also, my grandad, gran, mother and father were cremated.
None of them have gravestones.
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It's an interesting idea and most of us would welcome a help towards finding out more information about our ancestors.
He'll need good luck to take on 'The Military' regarding information in Military cemeteries or Commonwealth War Graves. They expect everyone to do things 'their' way and although that can be good in creating a certain standard, they can be very stubborn if anyone wants to deviate from the norm....I know.!
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So would it be available to any Tom, Dick or Harriet?
I would hope that it would not be like those dreadful head sets you get at historical sites, where, rather than tell you what you are seeing they act out a little play of what someone thinks life was like.
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I think if they go back more than one generation there will be a distinct shortage of photographs, (I only have a couple of my grandparents), and no videos - they hadn't been invented. I think they will have to use general stuff, particularly for the war years.
An interesting idea, but fraught with problems.
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