Smart Objects are a category of small devices or methods that enable three things: first, they allow an object to be assigned a unique identifier; second, they are able to attach small bits of information, such as its age, shelf life, environmental data like temperature or humidity, and much more. Third, they are able to communicate the status of that information on demand, whether optically or via electromagnetic frequencies. Advancements in smart object technology are bringing very low cost sensors and proximity-based communications into the spotlight.
They can be used to digitally manage physical objects, monitor their status, track them throughout their lifespan, alert someone when they are in danger of being damaged or spoiled — or even to annotate them with descriptions, instructions, warranties, tutorials, photographs, connections to other objects, and any other kind of contextual information imaginable.
While the more advanced categories of smart objects are still far from mainstream use in museums, more basic ones like QR codes are already fairly well established.
QR Code (abbreviated from Quick Response Code) is the trademark for a type of matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code). This barcode is capable of storing more information than the old linear barcode. The square-shaped black and white code can store various textual information (e.g. business card, web address, etc.) and even binary data.