DCZia MK9 Badge at DEF CON 34 · United States · 2026

DCZia MK9 Badge (DEF CON 34)

Maker-documented DEF CON 34 macropad badge with build guide and released UF2

DCZia's MK9 is a public-source 3×3 mechanical macropad intended as a neck-wearable DEF CON 34 BadgeLife project. Project documentation specifies nine MX switches, RGB per-key and edge lighting, an accelerometer, two 6-pin SAO connectors, USB-C or three-AAA power, CircuitPython firmware, and QMK-compatible hardware. During the August 6-9 conference the repository gained a purchaser-facing build guide saying the badge is pre-flashed with firmware, six build photos, and an August 4 UF2 commit describing the image as released on badges. This is a maker-documented independent badge release, not an official DEF CON admission credential.

DCZia MK9 DEF CON 34 United States Las Vegas BadgeLife Completed Badge RP2040 CircuitPython Macropad USB HID Mechanical Keyboard WS2812B SK6812 Accelerometer SAO QMK KiCad North America

EventDCZia MK9 Badge at DEF CON 34

SeriesDCZia

LocationLas Vegas Convention Center and DEF CON BadgeLife pickup context, Las Vegas, Nevada

CountryUnited States

People

Authors & Credits

badge project and public source-archive publisher

DCZia

The public repository is owned by the `dczia` GitHub account and identifies the MK9 as DCZia's 2026 DEF CON 34 badge; reviewed sources do not name individual designers or assign more specific roles.

Source

Why It Mattered

It adds a current independent DEF CON BadgeLife release with a notably complete public technical record: KiCad design material, BOM and fabrication outputs, CircuitPython source, hardware pinout, a documented user-flashing path, and during-event delivery-facing build documentation. The dossier preserves the distinction between publicly visible source files and an explicit reuse or source license, and between maker-documented release and a verified production count or attendee allocation.

Hardware

The MK9 documentation describes a 3×3 grid of nine standard-MX-footprint mechanical switches with translucent blue keycaps, nine WS2812B LEDs under the switches, six side-firing SK6812 LEDs, an RP2040, a 3-axis accelerometer, two standard 6-pin SAO connectors with I2C and two GPIOs each, USB-C for power/data, a three-AAA battery pack with power switch, and Reset and BOOTSEL buttons. The during-event build guide identifies the shipped switches as Gateron Blues and documents soldering the nine switches and the battery-pack wires, or powering over USB-C instead. The public hardware tree includes KiCad schematic/PCB/project files, a BOM spreadsheet, fabrication-output directory, drill material, and a STEP file. A public launch announcement additionally says a planned add-on board can expose three more keys or an I2C display. The reviewed sources do not establish final production quantity, final shipped battery-holder details, completed add-on distribution, enclosure/accessory scope, or radio capability.

Software & Apps

The badge ships with CircuitPython firmware according to the project documentation. Its public firmware README describes an RP2040 CircuitPython 8+ state machine, a 3×3 `keypad.KeyMatrix`, 15 NeoPixel LEDs on GP22, an MSA301-compatible accelerometer on I2C1, dual SAO I2C/GPIO pinout, a startup diagonal colour wipe, rainbow/breathing/sparkle patterns, accelerometer tilt and shake behavior, per-key ripples, and USB HID numpad output with N-key rollover. An August 4 commit added the UF2 image describing it as released on badges, and the during-event build guide says each badge is pre-flashed with firmware and should be good to go, with a manual BOOTSEL-to-`RPI-RP2` UF2 drag-and-drop reserved for updates or new code. The same week a commit relabelled the README software section as MicroPython while the firmware README itself continues to document CircuitPython, so the record keeps the CircuitPython detail and flags the relabel contradiction rather than resolving it. The project calls the hardware QMK-compatible but says QMK setup instructions will be posted separately, so no final QMK firmware or setup is claimed here.

Lore

The project page presents the MK9 as a badge that can be worn at DEF CON and then used as a desk macropad. A public August 2 announcement identifies it as the 2026 DCZia badge, links the public source tree, and says Friday and Saturday BadgeLife pickup is planned at 12:30. An August 7 build guide, committed during the conference, opens by thanking purchasers of the 2026 DCZia MK9 badge and walks through switch soldering, battery wiring, key functions, and optional re-flashing. At the September 25 recheck the repository still published no production count, recipient list, or distribution report, and DEF CON's official news confirms only that the host conference wrapped on August 10. The MK9 is an independent BadgeLife project, not the official DEF CON 34 Human badge.

Lifecycle

Add-ons & Upgrades

badge expansion publicly documented / announced add-on plan

SAO and planned add-on expansion

The board documents two standard six-pin SAO connectors with I2C and GPIO access. A public launch announcement separately says a planned add-on board can expose three more keys or an I2C display; final add-on distribution remains unconfirmed.