Hacker Con Badges

Chaos Communication Camp 2023 · Germany · 2023

flow3r

CCCamp 2023 music and light badge

A petal-shaped electronic instrument where touch and gestures become sound and light.

ESP32-S3 MicroPython Audio LEDs App Store CCC
flow3r: CCCamp 2023 music and light badge
EventChaos Communication Camp 2023
SeriesChaos Communication Camp
LocationZiegeleipark Mildenberg
CountryGermany

Image Provenance

Asset
optimized WebP from transparent cutout
Status
licensed original photo
Source
Chaos-communication-camp-2023-flow3r-badge.jpg
License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
Attribution
korrupt, Wikimedia Commons
Notes
Original 4032x3024 Wikimedia Commons field photo downloaded from File:Chaos-communication-camp-2023-flow3r-badge.jpg, cropped to the visible badge, conservatively polygon-masked, scaled to the site badge canvas, and preserved as a transparent source cutout before WebP delivery conversion. This is a documentary camp photo, not a studio packshot; partial background remains only where it is visible through or behind the badge in the original image. The published badge.gallery delivery file is an optimized WebP generated from the rights-cleared local derivative/source with metadata stripped, WebP quality 82, and a maximum side cap of 1600 pixels when the source is larger; upstream source URL, license, and attribution remain unchanged.

People

Authors & Credits

How to grow a flow3r speaker

q3k

Listed by media.ccc.de as a speaker for the Camp 2023 flow3r assembly, operation, software, and extension talk.

Source

How to grow a flow3r speaker

timonsku

Listed by media.ccc.de as a speaker for the Camp 2023 flow3r assembly, operation, software, and extension talk.

Source

firmware authors and direct repository contributors

Flow3r Badge Authors

The license page defines the firmware authors as people who directly contributed to the Flow3r badge firmware git repository.

Source

flow3r Badge interview host

Andi

Listed on media.ccc.de as the interviewer for the C3VOC flow3r Badge session.

Source

flow3r badge-team interview participant

Sec

Listed on media.ccc.de as a long-time CCC Badge Team member in the flow3r Badge interview.

Source

flow3r badge-team interview participant and How to grow a flow3r speaker

schneider

Listed on media.ccc.de as a long-time CCC Badge Team member in the flow3r Badge interview and as a How to grow a flow3r speaker.

Source

Why It Mattered

flow3r treated the badge as a shared artistic instrument, not just a nametag or dev board.

Hardware

ESP32-S3, round color display, speakers, 3.5 mm audio input/output, surrounding RGB LEDs, USB-C, and optional battery support compatible with MCH2022 batteries.

Software & Apps

Primarily MicroPython, with the live flow3r app index, versioned app-release metadata, WebUSB/USB-mass-storage firmware updates, Badge Net, bl00mbox audio, and Qwiic expansion docs.

Lore

CCC's announcement explicitly framed music, color, touch, and collaborative beauty as the core badge experience.

Source-backed hardware metadata

Technical Profile

Structured technical signals seeded from public badge documentation, repositories, schematics, firmware notes, or event evidence. These fields are designed for filtering, API use, repair planning, preservation, and future Companion Gear matching.

Artifact type

  • Electronic badge documented

    flow3r documentation describes the badge as an electronic event badge.

    Signal source

MCU / compute

  • ESP32 documented

    flow3r documentation describes an ESP32-class badge platform.

    Signal source

Radio / wireless

  • Bluetooth LE documented

    flow3r documentation describes Bluetooth-capable badge behavior.

    Signal source
  • Wi-Fi documented

    flow3r documentation describes Wi-Fi-capable badge behavior.

    Signal source

Display / visual output

  • RGB LEDs documented

    flow3r documentation describes LED-based visual output.

    Signal source

Firmware

  • MicroPython documented

    flow3r documentation describes MicroPython app development.

    Signal source

Repair, preservation, and legal lab context

Companion Gear

Parts, tools, and supplies that match this badge's documented hardware, protocols, or preservation needs. These are category-level recommendations, not compatibility guarantees.

Seeed Studio likely

JTAG / SWD Debuggers

Debug probes for ARM/RISC-V badge development, recovery, and documentation.

Why this matches

Debug probes can support authorized recovery, firmware work, and documentation for microcontroller badges. Matched technical signals: ESP32.

Matched evidence

Use only with hardware you own or are authorized to debug, repair, or document.

Open vendor search

Vendor link · selected for technical relevance

Seeed Studio likely

Serial Debug Adapters

USB serial adapters for logs, recovery, and firmware documentation workflows.

Why this matches

This badge has a documented microcontroller platform where serial logs or flashing workflows may be relevant. Matched technical signals: ESP32.

Matched evidence

Useful for development, repair, recovery, and documentation of hardware you own or are authorized to work on.

Open vendor search

Vendor link · selected for technical relevance

Amazon generic

ESD Storage

Anti-static bags and storage supplies for preserving loose badge PCBs and sensitive components.

Why this matches

This is documented as an electronic or hardware artifact where anti-static storage can support preservation. Matched technical signals: Electronic badge.

Matched evidence

Useful for preserving loose PCBs, add-ons, and sensitive electronic components.

Open vendor search

Vendor link · selected for technical relevance

Lifecycle

Add-ons & Upgrades

app-store publishing workflow ongoing

flow3r app index workflow

New apps are published by adding a TOML pointer under the flow3r-apps index and opening a merge request; after merge the app appears in the public directory.

Compatibility: flow3r app directory

Source
app-store update workflow ongoing

flow3r app version releases

The app index treats a commit that increments metadata.version in flow3r.toml as a new release, making post-camp app maintenance part of the badge lifecycle.

Compatibility: flow3r app directory

Source
firmware update ongoing

flow3r firmware update paths

Official docs preserve multiple update paths: webflash, USB mass-storage flashing, and a built-in WiFi updater introduced in firmware v1.3.0.

Compatibility: flow3r firmware

Source
hardware expansion ongoing

Qwiic / STEMMA QT expansions

The badge exposes two JST-SH 4-pin footprints following the I2C Qwiic / STEMMA QT pinout, giving app authors a documented path to breakout-board hardware.

Compatibility: flow3r hardware

Source
networking add-on ongoing

Badge Net

Badge Net builds on Badge Link to provide Ethernet and IPv6 connectivity between badges through the 3.5 mm jacks, exposed to MicroPython as a normal network interface.

Compatibility: flow3r Badge Link

Source
software add-on ecosystem ongoing

flow3r apps

flow3r's app directory and MicroPython docs support post-event applications, instruments, utilities, and experiments.

Compatibility: flow3r

Source
software audio engine ongoing

bl00mbox audio engine

bl00mbox lets multiple flow3r applications make sound together, with foreground/background audio behavior documented for app authors.

Compatibility: flow3r app API

Source

Operational history

Issues & Camp Impact

Resources

CCC announcement official blog · Badge concept, hardware, cost, and availability. How to grow a flow3r assembly and app talk · Camp talk covering assembly, operation, software writing, community, and extension paths. flow3r Badge Net guide networking docs · IPv6 networking between badges over Badge Link and the 3.5 mm jacks. flow3r Qwiic expansion guide hardware expansion docs · I2C Qwiic / STEMMA QT connector footprint and breakout-board expansion path. flow3r app directory app store · Live badge app directory. flow3r app index repository app-store source · Publishing workflow for app-index merge requests and versioned releases. flow3r bl00mbox guide audio docs · Audio synthesis and processing engine for foreground and background applications. flow3r docs official docs · Usage, firmware, and app ecosystem docs. flow3r firmware update guide firmware docs · Webflash, USB mass-storage, and on-device WiFi update paths. flow3r hardware specs hardware docs · ESP32-S3, flash, WiFi/BLE, petals, Badge Link, MIDI-compatible UART, USB-C, and expansion context. flow3r license license and authorship · Firmware license page defining Flow3r Badge Authors as direct git contributors.

Sources

CCC Event Blog: Camp 2023 - The flow3r Badge Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary hardware and cultural framing. flow3r GitLab: flow3r apps Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary app-index publishing and versioning workflow. flow3r documentation: Welcome to flow3r's documentation Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Current official documentation index for firmware, app programming, networking, audio, and expansion docs. flow3r documentation: Updating firmware Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Official update paths, including webflash, USB mass storage, and built-in WiFi updater. flow3r documentation: License Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Official firmware authorship and license statement. flow3r documentation: Badge Net Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Official network add-on layer over Badge Link. flow3r documentation: I2C / Qwiic Expansions Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Official Qwiic / STEMMA QT expansion documentation. media.ccc.de: How to grow a flow3r Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Camp talk listing schneider, timonsku, and q3k as speakers. media.ccc.de: flow3r Badge Retrieved 2026-05-15 · C3VOC Frag die Teams interview listing schneider, Sec, and Andi.