Marek Ventur
Listed by media.ccc.de as the speaker for the EMF 2018 TiLDA Mk4 making-of talk.
SourceElectromagnetic Field 2018 · United Kingdom · 2018
TiLDA MK4
EMF 2018 phone-like MicroPython badge
An EMF badge with MicroPython, WiFi, GSM/SMS/calling, screen, sensors, keypad, Grove connectors, and a badge store.
SeriesElectromagnetic Field
LocationEastnor Castle Deer Park
CountryUnited Kingdom
Image Provenance
- Asset
- optimized WebP from transparent cutout
- Status
- licensed original photo
- Source
- EMFCamp badges.jpg
- License
- Creative Commons Zero, Public Domain Dedication
- Attribution
- Rbirkby, Wikimedia Commons
- Notes
- Original 3304x2213 Wikimedia Commons field photo downloaded from File:EMFCamp badges.jpg, cropped to the EMF 2018 TiLDA MK4 board, conservatively polygon-masked, scaled to the site badge canvas, and preserved as a transparent source cutout before WebP delivery conversion. This is a documentary multi-badge photo, not a studio packshot; the visible board is partly occluded by its lanyard in the source image, which is retained as historical context. 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
Radiocode
Named in the MK4 wiki on cellular antenna behavior and Grove connector notes.
SourceBen Woodley
Named in the MK4 wiki as the source of serial-terminal and tilda_tools troubleshooting tips.
SourceWhy It Mattered
TiLDA MK4 stretched the idea of a badge into something close to a tiny phone and networked field device.
Hardware
The wiki lists TI MSP432E4 MCU, CC3120 WiFi, SIM800 GSM/GPRS, color screen, sensors, speaker, microphone, 2000 mAh battery, Grove headers, conductive thread points, and SAO connector.
Software & Apps
Runs MicroPython with a badge store, tilda-tools, firmware update paths, and documented app hacking workflows.
Lore
The wiki records practical field quirks, including call stability and external antenna notes for the cellular module.
Lifecycle
Add-ons & Upgrades
app-store ecosystem
historical
Badge Store installation flow
The MK4 wiki documents installing apps directly on badge through the Badge Store app: choose Install, pick a category/app, save it, then restart back to the launcher.
Source
app-store publishing workflow
historical
Badge Store submission workflow
Apps were submitted by adding a folder with main.py metadata headers to the Mk4-Apps GitHub repository, validating with tilda_tools, and opening a pull request; official rules banned malicious apps and code/image hot-loading without good reason.
Source
firmware update
historical
USB firmware update path
Base firmware updates used tilda-tools over USB/DFU rather than the Badge Store; the update page says they fixed stability, performance, and phone-call problems but wiped apps and settings.
Source
hardware expansion
historical
Grove and SAO connectors
TiLDA MK4 exposed Grove headers, conductive thread points, and a SAO connector for sensors, add-ons, and badge-to-badge hardware experiments.
Source
hardware expansion
historical
Grove and SAO expansion headers
The MK4 wiki records Grove UART/I2C connectors, a Shitty Add-Ons connector, conductive-thread points, Neopixel header use, and UART numbering gotchas for hardware hacking.
SourceOperational history
Issues & Camp Impact
firmware/apps
moderate
The MK4 wiki says firmware was substantially fixed and improved during and after EMF, resolving issues with call handling and apps; the firmware-update page also warns that updating wipes apps and settings.
MK4 needs lifecycle treatment because the shipped camp experience, app behavior, and post-event firmware state were not identical.
- Confidence
- primary wiki
- Status
- post-event fixed/improved
- Timeframe
- during and after EMF 2018
- Source note
- TiLDA MK4 wiki and firmware-update page.
app-store policy
note
The Badge Store submission rules required general-audience, non-malicious apps, Code of Conduct compliance, unique app folders, metadata headers, validation, and pull requests; they also warned that others could improve submitted apps.
The app store was curated and collaborative rather than an anonymous binary upload service.
- Confidence
- primary wiki
- Status
- historical
- Timeframe
- app publication workflow
- Source note
- TiLDA MK4 Badge Store Submissions wiki.
bootstrap/reset caveat
note
The wiki warns that some badges needed factory reset before showing the loading screen and that first software download might require reset retries.
The detail page should preserve first-boot and recovery behavior, not only final hardware specifications.
- Confidence
- primary wiki
- Status
- historical
- Timeframe
- first use and recovery
- Source note
- TiLDA MK4 wiki.
radio/cellular
note
The MK4 wiki says the badge team was aware of instability while using calling capability and records a community observation that external antennas improved cellular reliability.
Useful reminder that badge RF/cellular features can be field-sensitive.
- Confidence
- primary wiki and talk
- Status
- historical
- Timeframe
- during and after EMF 2018
- Source note
- TiLDA MK4 wiki and The making of TiLDA Mk4 talk.
Resources
Archived TiLDA MK4 Badge Store submissions
archived publishing docs · Internet Archive mirror for the MK4 app-store validation and pull-request rules.
Archived TiLDA MK4 firmware update
archived firmware docs · Internet Archive mirror for the MK4 USB/DFU update page and wipe warning.
Archived TiLDA MK4 get started
archived docs · Internet Archive mirror for the MK4 setup and first-app workflow.
Archived TiLDA MK4 wiki
archived wiki · Internet Archive mirror for the canonical EMF MK4 wiki, preserved because plain link checkers currently receive 404 from badge.emfcamp.org for the live path.
The making of TiLDA Mk4
talk · Creation-process talk.
TiLDA MK4 Badge Store submissions
app-store publishing docs · Official badge-store app rules, folder/header requirements, categories, validation, and pull-request workflow.
TiLDA MK4 firmware update
firmware docs · USB/DFU firmware-update path and warning that updates wipe apps and settings.
TiLDA MK4 get started
developer docs · Step-by-step MicroPython, tilda_tools, and app creation guide.
TiLDA MK4 hardware repository
source · Hardware repository used after the old EMF badge wiki began returning 404 responses.
TiLDA MK4 wiki
official wiki · Primary EMF 2018 badge wiki for usage, firmware, app store, hardware, cellular, Grove, SAO, and expansion notes.
Sources
EMF Badge wiki: TiLDA MK4
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary source for post-event firmware fixes, Badge Store installation, app repositories, hardware, Grove, SAO, and cellular caveats.
EMF Badge wiki: TiLDA MK4/Get Started
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary source for tilda_tools, USB MicroPython workflow, and first-app publishing path.
EMF Badge wiki: TiLDA MK4/Badge Store Submissions
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary source for app-store rules, metadata headers, categories, validation, and pull-request submission flow.
EMF Badge wiki: TiLDA MK4/Firmware Update
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Primary source for USB firmware updates, DFU mode, stability fixes, call fixes, and wipe warning.
GitHub: Mk4-Hardware
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Hardware source replacing the dead EMF badge wiki URL.
Internet Archive: Archived TiLDA MK4
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Archived mirror for the canonical MK4 wiki page.
Internet Archive: Archived TiLDA MK4/Get Started
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Archived mirror for the setup and first-app workflow page.
Internet Archive: Archived TiLDA MK4/Badge Store Submissions
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Archived mirror for the app-store publishing rules page.
Internet Archive: Archived TiLDA MK4/Firmware Update
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Archived mirror for the firmware-update and wipe-warning page.
media.ccc.de: The making of TiLDA Mk4
Retrieved 2026-05-15 · Talk on development and challenges.