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Welcome To DEF CON & Badge Maker Talk

Conference:  Defcon 26

2018-08-01

Summary

The presentation discusses the making of badges for the DEFCON conference and the challenges faced in the process. The theme of the conference is also highlighted, which is centered around the book 1984 by George Orwell and the importance of making decisions that can change the future.
  • The team consisted of a hardware engineer, a software ninja, and a nurse who got their start by making badges for the InfoSec Conference community
  • 28,220 badges were made, each with 91 components, and 43 LEDs per badge
  • Due to lead times, parts had to be ordered before a working prototype was completed
  • Chip supplier was unable to program the microcontrollers, so badges had to be hand-programmed by temp workers
  • The theme of DEFCON this year is centered around the book 1984 and the importance of making decisions that can change the future
  • The design aesthetic of the badges is everyday buildings for everyday people, with each type of badge having a different interactive story
  • The conference aims to increase transparency, with initiatives such as the department names on goon shirts and the transparency report
  • Attendees are encouraged to report any code of conduct violations or sketchy behavior to the organizers
The team faced challenges in programming the microcontrollers for the badges, which had to be hand-programmed by temp workers due to the chip supplier's inability to program them. The badges were also affected by shipment issues caused by the trade war, but the team was able to push them through with the help of FedEx custom team members. Despite these challenges, the badges were successfully made and distributed to attendees.

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