Hacker Con Badges

NodeConf EU 2018 · Ireland · 2018

NodeConf EU 2018 Badge

Pixl.js JavaScript badge with RGB, sensors, and expansion headers

An Apache-2.0 archived NearForm badge for NodeConf EU 2018 in Kilkenny, based on Pixl.js and Espruino with LCD, Bluetooth programming, RGB lighting, vibration motors, light, accelerometer and magnetometer APIs, extension headers, apps, patterns, and attendee name tooling.

NodeConf EU Ireland Kilkenny JavaScript Espruino Pixl.js Bluetooth LE RGB Accelerometer Magnetometer ESP8266 Open Hardware Europe
EventNodeConf EU 2018
SeriesNodeConf EU
LocationKilkenny
CountryIreland

People

Authors & Credits

Bluetooth workshop author and Espruino/Pixl.js upstream maintainer

Gordon Williams

The README links Gordon Williams' NodeConf EU 2018 Bluetooth workshop and Pixl.js/Espruino documentation.

Source

badge project publisher

NearForm

The public 2018 badge repository is under NearForm's GitHub organization and carries NearForm copyright in the Apache-2.0 license.

Source

badge runtime and platform documentation

Espruino

The README ties the badge to Pixl.js and Espruino IDE, CLI, and firmware-update workflows.

Source

event

NodeConf EU

The README identifies the artifact as the NodeConf EU 2018 badge and preserves attendee-facing badge instructions.

Source

Why It Mattered

It extends the Irish NodeConf EU lineage beyond the 2017 Puck.js-style badge and shows the same JavaScript developer-conference community iterating into a richer Pixl.js badge with open code, public schematics, and attendee-extensible apps.

Hardware

The `nearform/nceubadge2018` repository describes the badge as based on Pixl.js and exposes Eagle board and schematic files plus PDF exports under `sch/`. The README documents an LCD, four physical buttons around the display, a rear on/off slider, USB charging, top and bottom RGB lighting, a four-zone LCD backlight, light-sensor use via LED2, left/right vibration motors, accelerometer and magnetometer APIs, LiPo battery state reporting, GPIO headers J1/J2, and an ESP8266 ESP-01 serial/Wi-Fi header whose mirroring accident required front-side mounting or reversed ESP8266 pins.

Software & Apps

The repository preserves JavaScript badge firmware, `nodeconfeu2018` support code, a name-change workflow, app and LED-pattern extension points, Web Bluetooth / Espruino IDE instructions, Espruino CLI upload guidance, default-firmware restoration steps, and a Monday Bluetooth workshop. The README says attendees could submit apps and patterns, connect by menu or button-held boot modes, write persistent `.boot0`-style storage files, and update Espruino from the Pixl.js firmware path.

Lore

The README opens by saying name changes were the top request during NodeConf EU and provides a dedicated name-change path. It also preserves practical field issues: startup vibration could stop the LED controller on some badges, USB charging required the power switch to be on, badge animation could pause under traffic, and repeated storage writes could hit filesystem errors until reset or firmware update.

Lifecycle

Add-ons & Upgrades

app ecosystem source-backed

Attendee apps and persistent boot files

Attendees could append JavaScript apps to `Badge.apps`, add LED patterns, upload code over BLE, and persist extensions in `.boot0` through `.boot3` storage files.

Compatibility: NodeConf EU 2018 Badge

Source
attendee workflow source-backed

Name-change and connectability workflow

The README links name-changing tools and explains how badge owners could make the badge connectable via menu item or button-held boot modes.

Compatibility: NodeConf EU 2018 Badge

Source
hardware expansion source-backed

GPIO and ESP8266 expansion headers

J1/J2 exposed GPIO and analog pins, while J3 provided an ESP8266 ESP-01 serial/Wi-Fi header with a documented mirroring caveat and wiring workaround.

Compatibility: NodeConf EU 2018 Badge

Source
interactive IO source-backed

Sensors, vibration, and sound APIs

The README documents light sensing via LED2, left/right vibration motors, quiet sound generation through vibration motor PWM, accelerometer readings, and magnetometer readings.

Compatibility: NodeConf EU 2018 Badge

Source
software platform source-backed

Pixl.js / Espruino JavaScript platform

The README says the badge is based on Pixl.js and uses Espruino IDE, CLI, and Pixl.js firmware-update workflows.

Compatibility: NodeConf EU 2018 Badge

Source
visual extension source-backed

RGB and LCD backlight patterns

The badge exposed top LEDs, bottom LEDs, and a four-zone LCD backlight through pattern callbacks and `NC.ledTop`, `NC.ledBottom`, and `NC.backlight` APIs.

Compatibility: NodeConf EU 2018 Badge

Source

Operational history

Issues & Camp Impact

field-use caveats note

The README documents LED-controller startup issues related to vibration motors, animation pauses under badge mode, USB charging requiring the rear switch to be on, and storage write failures recoverable through reset or Espruino update.

The record preserves practical attendee-facing limitations instead of presenting the badge as frictionless hardware.

Confidence
primary README
Status
documented
Timeframe
NodeConf EU 2018 attendee use
Source note
nearform/nceubadge2018 README Bugs section.
missing rights-cleared image note

No NodeConf EU 2018 badge image is published because this pass did not establish a reusable original photo or official upstream raster render with exact source URL, image attribution, license basis, and processing notes.

The Irish 2018 record remains source-backed and image-free rather than copying badge-site or repository imagery without full provenance.

Confidence
local project policy
Status
needs licensed original replacement
Timeframe
current catalogue build
Source note
badge.gallery image policy and nearform/nceubadge2018 source trail.
repository archive status note

The `nearform/nceubadge2018` repository is archived and its GitHub metadata reports the homepage as `https://nodeconfeubadge.org/`, but that site currently presents an expired TLS certificate to curl.

Primary claims come from the repository and README rather than relying on the expired-certificate homepage for evidence or images.

Confidence
GitHub repository metadata
Status
documented
Timeframe
post-event archive
Source note
GitHub repository metadata and local TLS check on nodeconfeubadge.org.

Resources

NodeConf EU 2018 Bluetooth workshop workshop · Gordon Williams' workshop material linked from the README for badge Bluetooth development. NodeConf EU 2018 README badge guide · Primary attendee guide for name changing, Pixl.js basis, buttons, USB charging, connectability, sensors, RGB lighting, vibration motors, GPIO headers, ESP8266 header, apps, patterns, firmware reset, and known bugs. NodeConf EU 2018 apps and patterns app archive · App extension directory paired with the README's attendee contribution workflow. NodeConf EU 2018 badge repository source repository · Archived NearForm repository described as NodeConf EU 2018 badge code and hardware design files. NodeConf EU 2018 default badge firmware firmware source · Main JavaScript badge firmware used by the README's restoration and name-change workflows. NodeConf EU 2018 hardware design files hardware archive · Repository schematic directory with Eagle board/schematic files and PDF board/schematic exports. NodeConf EU 2018 hardware support module firmware source · Support module referenced by the README for direct access to NodeConf EU 2018 hardware APIs. NodeConf EU 2018 license license · Apache License 2.0 text for the NearForm 2018 badge repository.

Sources

Espruino: Pixl.js Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Upstream platform documentation linked from the badge README and used to contextualize the Pixl.js/Espruino firmware-update and programming path. NearForm / GitHub: nearform/nceubadge2018 Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary archived repository identifying the project as NodeConf EU 2018 badge code and hardware design files, with public JavaScript, schematic, app, pattern, and webapp directories. NearForm / GitHub: The NodeConf EU 2018 Badge README Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary attendee documentation for Pixl.js basis, Bluetooth connection workflow, name changing, LEDs, LCD backlight, vibration motors, accelerometer, magnetometer, LiPo battery state, headers, ESP8266 wiring, apps, patterns, firmware update path, and known bugs. NearForm / GitHub: NodeConf EU 2018 hardware directory Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary source for Eagle board/schematic files and PDF exports for the 2018 badge hardware. NearForm / GitHub: NodeConf EU 2018 LICENSE Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Repository license source; no image is promoted solely from this because image-specific source, attribution, processing, and documentary status still need to be recorded.