Lifecycle
Badge ecosystems keep moving after handout: apps, hexpansions, SAOs, antennas, cases, repair parts, firmware updates, and post-event hardware experiments.
The README tells attendees to connect over USB, select the correct serial port at 115200 baud, observe terminal startup, and type `help` for additional commands.
SourceThe README requires Adafruit NeoMatrix, Adafruit NeoPixel, and Adafruit GFX libraries, while the sketch uses NeoMatrix drawing primitives for scrolling text and pixel mouth images.
SourceProgramming instructions use the Arduino IDE, ATtiny support configuration, bootloader/fuse burning, and sample badge sketches.
SourceGigawatts documented burning an Arduino Leonardo bootloader over ICSP with a Bus Pirate so the badge could accept Arduino IDE sketches over USB.
SourceThe repository guide documents Earle Philhower RP2040 board-manager setup, required Adafruit libraries, 2 MB sketch/filesystem partitioning, upload, and copying data files after first boot.
SourceForum and reversing sources document booting into mass-storage/BOOTSEL behavior and using picotool or chip-off workflows to dump or replace firmware.
SourceThe programming writeup documents compiling badge demos and flashing STM32 firmware through OpenOCD with a patched Bus Pirate SWD setup.
SourceDEF CON's archive announced C-style badge code and a badge-hacking-file torrent so attendees could continue writing and studying badge software after the conference.
SourceGreat Scott Gadgets documents entering bootloader mode from RfCat, using `bootload.py`, erasing, and downloading properly linked RfCatDonsCCBootloader firmware images.
SourceThe badge writeup documents onboard CH340N USB serial access plus wireless firmware-pull behavior used during the conference.
SourceThe badge guide frames the device as a CircuitPython learning platform after the conference, with USB serial/Python CLI access and editable `code.py` storage contents.
SourceThe badge has CircuitPython board support and an MIT-licensed firmware repository with badge-drive copy/install steps and CircUp library installation.
SourceThe repository documents RAW mono 22050 Hz sample export, Python raw-to-header conversion, AMY sample-bank configuration, UF2 flashing, and alternate synth-drum firmware.
SourceThe README documents holding the button while plugging in USB for DFU mode, Zadig/WinUSB setup, dfu-util upload, 454hex2dfu conversion, and Pickit fallback programming if the bootloader is overwritten.
SourceThe README documents bootloader mode, ESP Tool web flashing at address 0x0, and an esptool.py console command for `HackGDL_2025.bin` on ESP32-S3.
SourceThe firmware repository and workshop wiki document ESP-IDF setup, WiFi and MQTT configuration, build/flash commands, serial monitoring, and MQTT output checks for IoTuz.
SourceThe developer guide documents cloning the badge repository, initializing submodules, using ESP-IDF, setting MININO_PATH, building Minino firmware from the eko branch, flashing, monitoring, and creating release builds.
SourceThe watch badge firmware used Arduino IDE, the ESP8266 Arduino core, ArduinoJson, Generic ESP8266 Module settings, and serial flashing.
SourceThe wiki points badge hackers to an ESPHomeBadge path as an alternative way to write firmware for the HOPE XV badge.
SourceThe project documents male headers, pinouts, jumper wires, ISP programmer use, Microchip Studio / AVR toolchain builds, avrdude flashing, and fuse recipes.
SourceThe Handorf guide says firmware would be loaded by staff at the info booth after assembly.
SourceAttendees could use the LPC1343 USB mass-storage bootloader by replacing firmware.bin, or invoke it through the ISP and reset-button sequence.
SourceThe firmware template exposed camera, accelerometer, button, OLED, timing, and filesystem helpers so attendee applications could reuse the stock badge services.
SourceThe repository README describes MicroPython setup over serial terminal, Thonny, or VSCode, with boot.py/main.py demos and memory-style I2C read/write patterns.
SourceThe wiki documents erasing and flashing ESP32-C3 MicroPython firmware, using serial console access, running scripts with mpremote, and copying code to run at boot.
SourceMicroPython, front-panel buttons, joystick control, filesystem access, and mpremote/Thonny/VSCode workflows let attendees write and store custom vector demos on the badge.
SourceHackaday described the user side as MicroPython-programmed with a plug-in architecture for adding apps.
SourceThe CCHS software guide covers CH340 serial access, esptool.py flashing, MicroPython firmware installation, ampy/rshell workflows, application install scripts, and REPL interaction.
SourceThe quick-start workflow let attendees copy compiled HEX files to MicroSD and use the onboard bootloader, with PICkit programming as a fallback path.
SourceThe firmware README documents ATTinyCore board settings, external programmer needs, micronucleus USB bootloader use, and command-line flashing steps.
SourceThe writeup documents Micronucleus flashing, Arduino IDE 1.6.x setup, Digistump board support, DigiKeyboard payload examples, and operating-system keyboard-layout caveats.
SourceBadges shipped with minimal firmware for hardware testing and OTA update; the official page documents event-WiFi provisioning and a web-flash fallback if OTA failed.
SourceThe public docs use the Arduino IDE, NodeMCU 1.0 board support, 160MHz setting, and espsoftwareserial library before uploading the BUSSide firmware.
SourceThe upload-code guide documents HHV Raspberry Pi flash stations, CH340G driver setup, esptool.py flashing, `latest-spiffs.bin`, and Lua upload tools such as nodemcu-uploader and ESPlorer.
SourceThe DEF CON media-server badge directory published hardware, firmware, game, music, asset, and later FREEWiLi firmware files for post-event hacking.
SourceThe VoCore notes document OpenWRT buildroot setup, LuCI and USB-storage package choices, sysupgrade flashing, first-login password setup, SSH/telnet access, and opkg package work.
SourceThe final-challenge walkthroughs document Optiboot at 115200 baud and avrdude commands for dumping and writing flash through an Arduino-compatible bootloader.
SourceDEF CON's media-server update and forum-curated notes documented flashing the PIC32MM0256GPM048 with MPLAB X IPE and PICkit 3 or 4 to reach newer firmware versions.
SourceThe badge update pipeline patched one-bit 240x96 image data and a hash into a base firmware image, then reflashed the badge with cc-tool and CC Debugger hardware.
SourceParallax and DEF CON published firmware, schematic, top-level objects, LED examples, VGA/PS2 examples, and conference-DVD materials for post-event badge hacking.
SourceThe firmware README documents GNU Arm Embedded Toolchain setup, J-Link or PyOCD programming, Makefile configuration, and make/flash commands for PY32F0 targets.
SourceGreat Scott Gadgets documents compiling R8C code with a GCC cross-compiler and flashing through a 3.3 V FTDI serial interface plus DJ Delorie's flash tool.
SourceHackaday states that the badge could flash the CH32V003-style add-ons through the SAO port.
SourceThe README documents STM32CubeProgrammer DFU flashing, separate STM32 and FPGA HEX files, TEST-pin bootstrapping, and first-boot test mode.
SourceThe README documents SWD programming for both MCUs and USB DFU flashing for the STM32 side.
SourceBadge owners could modify firmware through the ESP8266 serial pins, programming switch, Arduino IDE, ESP8266 board support, SSD1306 OLED library, and PubSubClient MQTT library.
SourceThe documentation maps serial-interface pins and reset-button timing for uploading Arduino IDE code to the badge.
SourceThe badge could save and load programs over serial to another badge or computer and store programs in internal flash slots for later recall.
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