Yearly, lots of of small conferences occur across the globe. They might not get the media consideration of huge occasions like CES or Open Sauce, however their attendees are simply as enthusiastic. Tyler Crumpton needed to make badges to foster that enthusiasm for PhreakNIC 26, a small infosec con held in Tennessee, however had a restricted finances. Fortunately constraints breed creativity, which led to him utilizing digital shelf labels to make these battery-free badges.
Digital shelf labels (ESLs) are low-power retail shows that you just’ll discover in some shops. They’re helpful as a result of retailer managers can shortly replace data, similar to merchandise costs throughout a sale, with no need to print new labels. And as commodity gadgets, they’re pretty low-cost.
Crumpton was capable of finding an eBay itemizing for 100 used ZBD 55c-RB ESLs for simply $66.49 (together with a reduction for buying two heaps). That works out to only 67 cents every, which is remarkably cost-effective for these screens. They’ve bistable LCDs that, like e-ink screens, retain their content material even with out energy. These explicit items had lifeless batteries, however that retention made the batteries pointless.
To make the badges look good, Crumpton put the shows within 3D-printed enclosures made to appear to be pagers. They’re fairly darn charming.
The ultimate step was making a system that may let attendees replace the screens of their badges. A QR code would take attendees to particular web site the place they may design their badge show with a bunch of various frames and customized textual content. They may then place their badge on a programming station, which had pogo pins to the touch the show’s contacts and replace it with new firmware containing the chosen graphics.
The outcome was a ridiculously low-cost (lower than $1 every) badge design that was nonetheless very interesting. Unsurprisingly, the badges have been an enormous hit at PhreakNIC 26.
