# Badger: An E-Ink Badge I Use For Conferences

> Source: <https://dev.to/hacksore/badger-an-e-ink-badge-i-use-for-conferences-2jmh>
> Published: 2026-08-31 21:31:56+00:00

I attend conferences regularly, and for years I’ve wanted a badge that makes it easy for people to find me online.

In 2019, I attended defcon and built [defpi](https://github.com/hacksore/defpi), a goofy raspberry pi powered badge.

While that was fun I wanted a bit more turnkey and I found just what I wanted with a Badgeware [Badger](https://badgewa.re/) (nerdy [domain hack](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_hack) badgewa.re).

Since my use case is to just have my socials via QR I chose the e-ink version as it made the most sense.

So what does the Badger come equipped with?

I might not be the biggest Python fan but in the age of AI does it matter? I just ask Codex to help me get the desired outcome I'm looking for!

So Codex and I cooked a few hundred lines of Python and boom my profiles are only a QR code scan away.

Let's take a look at my default badge screen in all its glory.

Social screen.

All in all it's pretty simple, get you to either my [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanboult) or my [personal site](https://seanboult.dev).

The crazy thing is the simulator lets me test the code before I deploy it to the badge.

`make sim`

and I'm able to test it locally.

Then a simple `make deploy`

while the badge is connected and it deploys it all.

You can check out the code repo if you wanna ~~steal~~ [slopfork](https://www.slopfork.dev/) my setup.

Personal [Badgeware](https://badgewa.re/) app for the Badger 2350.

Requirements: macOS, [uv](https://docs.astral.sh/uv/), Git, and a data-capable USB-C cable. Run `make`

to see the three available commands.

```
make sim
```

The first run clones and builds [Badgeware Desktop](https://github.com/pimoroni/badgeware-simulator) beside this repo. Later runs reuse that build, stage the current app in an isolated filesystem, and launch it at the Badger's 264×176 resolution.

Simulator controls:

`Space`

: Button B; flip between the badge and social/QR screens`↑`

/ `↓`

: change the background pattern`←`

/ `→`

: Buttons A and C`Esc`

: hot reloadConnect the Badger over USB-C.

Double-tap **RESET**. Wait for the `BADGER`

drive to appear.

Run:

```
make deploy
```

The command validates the app, copies its Python and image files into `/apps/badge`

, safely ejects the drive, and lets the badge reboot.

This installs the latest official firmware together…

Happy conferencing, folks!

PS: If you're going to be in Dallas for [Commit Your Code 2026](https://www.commityourcode.com/) come find me and I’ll show off the badge.

Follow me for all things tech.