Eurofurence 28

Super Sponsor Gift: The Cyber LED Badge

Links

A gift to those supporting the fandom

The leader 'proot' of a group of cyber-rats, known as the Radical Access Technology Syndicate (R.A.T.S.), has contacted Eurofurence with an extraordinary request. They have entrusted us with their special “key” to share with our Super Sponsors. This isn’t just any key — it’s a symbol of unity and expression, designed to illuminate the true spirit of the fandom. By wearing this badge, you will light up the event and show your support for the vibrant, colorful community that we all belong to.
It’s more than just a piece of tech. It’s a way to connect with others, to express your individuality, and to celebrate the diversity that makes our fandom so special.

Did you just receive your LED badge and you want to know what it can do? Please see our How to Use Your Cyber LED Badge page.

The Cyber LED Badge

What is an LED Badge?

dangling

The cyber LED Badge is a unique piece of wearable tech. At its core is a rigid PCB (Printed Circuit Board), assembled with electronic components, carefully designed to be both functional and visually striking. On the back, you’ll find a battery pack that powers the badge, allowing it to light up in a spectrum of vibrant colors throughout the event.

The badge features 17 RGB LEDs, which can be controlled to display different colors and patterns, allowing you to customize your experience. Whether you want to flash your favorite colors, sync up with others, or simply let your badge pulse with light as you move around the convention, the choice is yours.

Tell Me More!

Curious about the specs? Here are the technical details of the key to your colorful self:

  • Height: 15,9cm
  • Width: 7,7cm
  • Weight (w.o. batteries): 56g
  • Weight (w. batteries): ~126g
  • LEDs: 17 WS2812B RGB LEDs
  • CPU: ESP32-S3-WROOM-1-N16R8 (Dual-Core, 16MB of Flash, BT, WiFi)
  • Battery holder: 3x AA
  • Runtime: Depending on the pattern and used features, several to many hours
  • Unpopulated headers: 2x8 GPIO, SAO 1.69
  • User input: 2 touch buttons
  • Attachment: Dual-nylon-loop lanyard (included)
  • Connectivity: USB-C connector for powering or programming
  • Power: Mechanical power switch

______
close up

This badge is not just a flashy accessory. It is an expression of your identity. You’ll have the ability to customize your badge with your favorite colors, pride flags, and a variety of animations, all from the palm of your paw. Best of all, you don’t need to be a technically inclined to use it. Everything can be controlled without any coding or technical know-how.
It comes preprogrammed with different animations and you can change the color yourself, a simple user manual is included with the LED Badge. All you need is to push the touch buttons. See How to Use Your Cyber LED Badge.

And if you are feeling really adventurous, you can also easily explore alternative firmware created by others. Just connect your badge to a PC, and a flash drive will appear. Simply drag and drop the new firmware files to give your badge a whole new personality.

Need help or want to share your own creative projects? Join the dedicated LED Badge support channel on Telegram:
@ef28badge.

Are You a Hacker?

For those who like to dig a little deeper, this badge is your playground. Fully programmable and flashable, it’s compatible with a wide range of development environments, including Arduino IDE, PlatformIO, and MicroPython, just to name a few. We proudly adhere to Open-Source and Open-Hardware principles, meaning you have the freedom to modify, recreate, and remix the badge to your heart’s content. It’s not just ours — it’s truly yours!

If you are a coder with ideas or improvements, we’d love to hear from you! Contributions are always welcome, so feel free to submit your Merge Requests and be part of the innovation:
https://github.com/eurofurence/ef28-badge

Hacker Workspace

Okay, How Do I Get One?

To get your paws on this exclusive LED Badge you have to register as a Super Sponsor for Eurofurence 28. As a Super Sponsor, you’ll receive this badge as part of your registration package, giving you instant access to this unique piece of tech.

If you are currently registered as a regular Attendee or Sponsor, don’t worry — you can still upgrade to Super Sponsor status to secure your badge. But please upgrade and pay before the 11th of September. Every Super Sponsor will receive one, so if you are thinking about stepping up your support for the event, now is the perfect time.

We will also be placing a limited number of these badges in the charity lottery booth. It’s another way to support a good cause while trying your luck at getting one of these exclusive items. Make sure to follow our social media channels and this website for updates!

Last updated: 2024-09-17

FAQ

  • Can I still upgrade to Super Sponsor and get an LED Badge?

    Yes, you can. But please upgrade and pay before the 11th of September. Later upgrades will involve extra work and we cannot guarantee availability. We will keep everyone informed of any updates on this website and through our social media channels.

  • Does this badge replace the traditional, official Super Sponsor badge?

    No. You have to wear your official badge for all Super Sponsor perks on-site. The LED Badge does not grant you any special access, it just makes you fabulous.

  • Can I get one without being a Super Sponsor?

    No, it is an exclusive item as a thank you for your generous support. The only exception are the staff volunteers who have been working all year to bring you this convention.

  • How do I use the badge?

    Please see this page: How to Use Your Cyber LED Badge

  • I am a coder: Does it support everything of the ESP32 microcontroller?

    The power circuit is limited and some wireless functions might never work properly. Any SAO v1.69 addons also cannot draw too much power. The LEDs run on reduced brightness. The unused GPIO pins are routed to two solderable 8x1 standard pin-header on the side. Check the code repository for more info.

  • Does it just blink or use WiFi/Bluetooth for anything?

    Right now, the firmware is only blinks in some pretty colors. We are still working on things. We will post updates on this website. Please note: The power curcuit is limited and some wireless functions might never work properly.

  • Can I reset/update the firmware easily?

    We create a tool to flash your badge via the browser! A Chrome based browser and USB connection is needed. See https://badge.cyberrats.wtf/

  • What batteries are required?

    It runs of 3x AA alkaline batteries. One set of batteries is included with every badge. There are solder pads for a lipo-mod.

  • How long will the batteries last?

    It highly depends on what you do with the badge, but we hope it will last your stay. With the default brightness and the simple animations, you will have over 6 hours of runtime per day for the whole convention. (Or over 40h constantly on). The more colorful pride flags might allow ~4–5h per evening for the whole convention. On higher brightness or other special functions it can be significantly less. If you plan to rock your blinking LED badge *all* day every day, you might want to bring three spare alkaline batteries.

  • How fragile is it?

    While it is meant to be worn, as a bare PCB it can be damaged by being bumped into other hard things or shorting out conants with metal. Please avoid metal lanyard clips from other badges contacting the badge!

  • Is there a risk of an electric shock?

    No. The LED Badge is a low-power battery device that cannot shock you. Except with how pretty it is.

  • Can I extend it?

    It has an unpopulated SOA v1.69 port. But you need to solder the badge header first.

  • Can I join the Telegram group without being a Super Sponsor?

    Sure! Join the R.A.T.S.! @ef28badge

Credits

This badge was designed, crafted and programmed with much ♥️ and dedication by: DarkRat, Token, Irah, Honigeintopf. The wonderful artwork was done by Fleeks.