Thanks to the Badge Hackers

Every Supercon, we put together a badge. While they might have their origins in simple nametags that prove you’ve paid admission, the early DEFCON electronic badges became much more. They became puzzles and playgrounds, offering participants a challenge and opportunity.

Hackaday’s badges follow proudly in this tradition – we try to make something that you will enjoy, that is pretty on its own, and that gives you enough rope to tie the most ornate knots the world has ever seen. This year’s badge was frankly down to the wire, and we didn’t get the chance to do a proper badge reveal, so we’ll absolutely have to do a post-reveal next week. But the long and the short of it is that it was designed around an absurdly large red, black, white e-paper display.

Part of the over-the-deadline schedule is that we didn’t get a chance to code up all of the firmware and software features that we had in mind before opening day. (In truth, we never do!) And that’s where the Supercon attendees stepped in. During the first Friday, without any prompting, hackers had implemented nearly every feature that we had hoped to, simply because these features were calling out to be done. By the end of Sunday, our wildest dreams for the badge were met and exceeded.

This always happens at Supercon. The more leeway we leave to the attendees, the more obvious opportunities, the more badge hacks we get back. Strangely enough, in retrospect, our failures to get the firmware done are just perfect for this crowd. Which is not to say that we don’t ship the badges with some cool applications, but just that we ourselves have so many more in mind. And of course, that’s a sign that our hackers will too.

Conference badges are an odd and fun problem. They have to be cool, they have to be inspiring, but above all, they have to be incomplete by design, because leaving enough freedom to allow a Hackaday audience to spread their wings is the real goal. You all didn’t disappoint, and we’re yet again humbled. Thanks, Hackaday!