GrrCON
The 2024 GrrCON edition in Grand Rapids whose public first-hand BadgeBuddy writeup and GitHub archive document an unofficial ESP8266 friend-distribution badge and companion backpack scoreboard.
Grand Rapids, Michigan · United States · 2024
BadgeBuddy was an unofficial GrrCON 2024 electronic badge built for roughly thirty friends, using an ESP8266 WiFi module, an 8x8 LED matrix, battery power, proximity scanning for other BadgeBuddy SSIDs, and a public code/wiring archive.
Lifecycle
The first-hand writeup and public firmware document an ESP8266 badge that advertises `BadgeBuddy` while scanning nearby WiFi networks.
The badge used an 8x8 LED matrix for bouncing-pixel animation and a falling-code pattern once enough nearby BadgeBuddy networks were detected.
The component notes describe socketed LED matrices and ESP8266 modules, header-pin quantities, 3xAA battery testing, USB power as a fallback, and a stated USD 9.44 per-badge cost.
The same project archive includes a backpack-mounted open access point and four-matrix scoreboard that counted unique connecting clients during the conference.
BadgeBuddy counted unique nearby BadgeBuddy BSSIDs every 30 seconds and adjusted the animation density to reflect nearby badges.
Operational history
The record remains image-free rather than copying blog photos, OpenGraph images, videos, screenshots, repository diagrams, generated art, or approximate badge artwork.
The United States record remains source-backed and image-free rather than copying source-page media, documentation screenshots, event photos, social media, placeholders, or generated approximations.
The catalogue cites the repository as evidence but does not treat code, wiring diagrams, screenshots, or repository media as broadly reusable publication assets without explicit license coverage.
The compendium records it as unofficial badgelife and avoids implying GrrCON organizer publication, attendee-wide distribution, or admission-credential status.