KernelCon 2021: Hack Live Virtual · United States · 2021

Kernelcon 2021 Hacker HotKey

Hack Live customizable hotkey badge

Kernelcon 2021's Hacker HotKey was a customizable hotkey stream-deck badge configured for Hack Live voting, challenge sabotage, hint, and website-launch behavior, with public Arduino Leonardo firmware examples.

Kernelcon United States Virtual Event Hacker HotKey Arduino Leonardo USB HID Keyboard Hack Live Stream Deck North America

EventKernelCon 2021: Hack Live Virtual

SeriesKernelcon

LocationVirtual

CountryUnited States

People

Authors & Credits

event and Hacker HotKey repository publisher

Kernelcon

The public repository under the Kernelcon organization preserves Hacker HotKey firmware and documentation.

Source

Why It Mattered

It adds Kernelcon's virtual Hack Live year as a badge record without pretending it was a normal hallway PCB: the artifact was explicitly a remote-event input device and live-audience interaction surface.

Hardware

The Hacker HotKey is the Kernelcon 2021 Hack Live badge, with default button rows for launcher and voting behavior, per the public repository, which also links case files. The firmware workflow targets an Arduino Leonardo-compatible USB HID board.

Software & Apps

A simple sample sketch and a more advanced configurable hotkey firmware path are available, with Arduino IDE build instructions, keyboard-library setup, USB data-cable requirements, board selection, and upload guidance, per the repository.

Lore

Kernelcon's Hack Live page says the 2021 event was free and one day only on April 30, and says badges were customizable hotkey stream decks configured for voting on challenges, sabotages, hints, and more.

Lifecycle

Add-ons & Upgrades

firmware variant source-backed

Advanced configurable hotkey firmware

The repository preserves a simple sample firmware and an advanced configurable hotkey firmware guide for post-event customization.

Compatibility: Kernelcon 2021 Hacker HotKey

Source

remote-event interaction historical

Hack Live voting hotkeys

The default firmware mapped buttons for Hack Live website launch, voting, sabotage, hint, and live audience commands.

Compatibility: Kernelcon 2021 Hacker HotKey

Source

Operational history

Issues & Camp Impact

missing rights-cleared image note

No Hacker HotKey image is published because repository images and storefront imagery have not been reconciled with complete reusable license and attribution metadata.

The virtual-event badge record stays source-backed and image-free.

Confidence: local project policy
Status: open
Timeframe: current catalogue build
Source note: badge.gallery image policy and kernelcon/hacker-hotkey repository.

remote-event classification note

The 2021 badge was tied to a one-day Hack Live virtual event rather than an in-person conference hall.

The record models it as a remote-event input badge and avoids ordinary attendee-distribution assumptions.

Confidence: official event page
Status: documented
Timeframe: April 30, 2021
Source note: KernelCon 2021 Hack Live page and Hacker HotKey README.

Resources

Hacker HotKey repository firmware archive · Public Kernelcon repository preserving Arduino Leonardo firmware examples, default key mapping, and 3D-print case reference. KernelCon 2021 Hack Live page official event page · Official Hack Live source for April 30, 2021, free virtual-event framing and customizable hotkey stream-deck badge wording.

Sources

Kernelcon: KernelCon 2021 Hack Live Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Official event source for April 30, 2021, Hack Live context and customizable hotkey stream-deck badge claim. Kernelcon GitHub repository: Hacker HotKey README Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary source for default hotkey mapping, launcher/voting behavior, Arduino Leonardo firmware workflow, sample and advanced firmware paths, and case reference.