How we turned the Replay keynote surprise into an open-source embedded playground

At a developer conference, Replay attendees were surprised with hackable badges that were more than just over-engineered conference accessories; they were sophisticated mini-computers built on an ESP32-S3 module, featuring components like an OLED screen, LED matrix, buttons, and more. These open-source badges, now available on GitHub, offer a comprehensive ecosystem including firmware, hardware designs, and tools for modification and development, enabling users to reflash, repair, and extend their functionalities. The project involved complex hardware and firmware challenges, requiring careful resource management and collaboration, with the ultimate aim of fostering an ongoing community-driven exploration and customization of the badges. By incorporating MicroPython alongside C++ to handle hardware interactions, the project made development accessible to a wider audience, encouraging creativity and personalization. The badges, initially a fun and surprising element at the conference, are now poised for a second life of innovation and mischief, inviting users to explore and expand their capabilities through community apps and personal projects.