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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →InfraredTags are machine-readable patterns built into a 3D-printed object, where they remain hidden in ordinary light but can be read with near-infrared imaging. The method uses infrared-transmitting filament and specially designed internal patterns to encode QR codes or other markers. It is a fabrication technique—not a sticker for an existing object—and reading it requires more than an unmodified phone camera.
What an infrared tag is—and what it is not
InfraredTags is a research method for embedding familiar 2D markers, including QR codes and ArUco markers, into the geometry of a 3D-printed object. Under visible light, the marker is not apparent to an ordinary observer. A near-infrared imager can reveal it because different parts of the object transmit infrared light differently.
That makes an InfraredTag different from a QR-code sticker or a code printed visibly on a surface. The pattern is designed into the object and printed as part of its fabrication. It cannot simply be added to an already-made object using the demonstrated workflow.
How InfraredTags work
The object is printed with filament that transmits near-infrared light. The tag pattern is formed by areas that transmit or block that light differently, producing an image an infrared camera can distinguish even though the tag is concealed in visible light.
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Single-material and dual-material designs
- Single-material design: The tag bits are formed as air gaps within the infrared-transmitting body.
- Dual-material design: A second, infrared-opaque filament can be added to increase contrast between tag regions.
The researchers’ design workflow used Rhino and Grasshopper: they loaded a 3D model and a 2D tag, positioned and projected the marker into the object geometry, then printed the result. A near-infrared camera captures the pattern, and image processing recovers the tag.
What is needed to make and read one
Reproducing the research approach takes more than infrared-transmitting filament. It requires a suitable 3D model and tag geometry, an FDM printing workflow capable of producing the pattern, and near-infrared imaging hardware with processing to decode the captured image.
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- Design: Place and project a 2D marker into the object using a compatible modeling workflow. The researchers used Rhino and Grasshopper.
- Fabricate: Print the object with infrared-transmitting filament, using air gaps for a single-material tag or infrared-opaque filament to add contrast.
- Capture: Image the object with a near-infrared camera. The research team built a compact module to add near-infrared imaging to existing mobile devices.
- Decode: Process the captured image to recover the embedded marker.
This is not ordinary QR scanning with an unmodified visible-light phone camera. The demonstrated reader uses near-infrared imaging, and the study’s mobile-device module was custom-built; the cited work does not establish a specific consumer-ready camera or universal phone app.
What the study demonstrated
MIT CSAIL researchers reported detection at low illumination and at substantial distance in their 2022 evaluation. Those figures describe the study’s setup, not guaranteed performance for every material, print, camera or viewing condition.
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| Reported figure | What it means |
|---|---|
| 0.2 lux | Detection reported by the MIT CSAIL team in its 2022 study under the study’s conditions. |
| Up to 250 cm | Maximum reported detection distance in the 2022 evaluation; not a general performance guarantee. |
| Approximately $5.86 per 100 g | Historical acquisition cost reported on the project page for the infrared filament used in the study; it is not a current price or availability claim. |
The method’s performance depends on the filament’s infrared transmission, the tag’s geometry, print quality and imaging conditions. The project describes multiple embedded tags as a way to make an object readable from different directions and more tolerant of partial occlusion; this does not remove the dependence on tag placement and camera view.
What information can an embedded tag provide?
A tag can serve as a machine-readable identity or a pointer to information associated with an object. The project describes applications such as identifying and tracking passive objects, controlling objects through augmented-reality interfaces, and linking to an object’s model or origin information. Other proposed metadata includes manuals, fabrication or expiry dates, material, weight and size.
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These are research applications and possibilities, not evidence of a standardized or widely deployed consumer tagging system. Fraser Anderson, a Senior Principal Research Scientist at the Autodesk Technology Centre in Toronto, described the approach as “a really clever, useful, and accessible approach to embedding information into objects.” He also imagined a future in which a standard camera could surface an object’s manufacturing details or repair instructions. That is a vision for a possible future, not a capability of current standard cameras.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How InfraredTags differ from related approaches
| Approach | Tag material or mechanism | Reader imaging |
|---|---|---|
| InfraredTags | Infrared-transmitting filament with air-gap tag regions, optionally contrasted with infrared-opaque filament. | Near-infrared camera and image processing. |
| InfraStructs | A separate material-based approach for fabricating information inside physical objects. | Terahertz-region imaging, rather than the near-infrared imaging used by InfraredTags. |
| BrightMarker | A distinct approach using fluorescent filaments. | Infrared imaging; it is not another name for InfraredTags. |
When comparing invisible-tag methods, useful distinctions include what materials and fabrication equipment they require, the reader’s imaging wavelength, detection range and lighting, tolerance for occlusion and viewing angle, whether a tag can be added after fabrication, and whether it stores a compact identifier or links to richer information.
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Where to learn more
- MIT CSAIL HCI Engineering Group: InfraredTags project page
- Dogan et al., “InfraredTags: Embedding Invisible AR Markers and Barcodes Using Low-Cost, Infrared-Based 3D Printing and Imaging Tools,” CHI 2022
- MIT CSAIL: “Invisible Machine-Readable Labels that Identify and Track”
- Microsoft Research: InfraStructs
- MIT CSAIL: “Invisible tagging system enhances 3D object tracking”
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