Electronic badges have become a focal point of hacking conferences and key to growing the immersive conference experience! This talk will provide a brief history of electronic conference badges, as well as discuss the good, the badge, and the ugly from the speakers’ attempt at a new and improved production run this year. Sadly, while there will not be a new production of the improved HOPE badge in time for the con to be shared with HOPE_16 attendees, this will still be a lively discussion of everyone’s favorite badges from past hacking conferences. The design and production challenges that inevitably cropped up will be discussed in detail. The struggle to produce a working badge aligning both funding and functionality is real. This year has been no exception, with various uncertainties such as tariffs and geopolitical norms at play. Despite the challenges, many lessons have been learned. This is an opportunity to plan for a future run, share experiences with others, and get more interested individuals to join the team and get involved.

This hands-on workshop introduces participants to ESPHome, an open-source platform for integrating ESP32 microcontrollers with home automation systems. Participants will learn the fundamentals of configuring ESPHome YAML files to control inputs and outputs, connect to Wi-Fi, enable remote access, perform over-the-air (OTA) updates, integrate with Home Assistant, and add external sensors or components. Attendees will walk away with the knowledge to create their own simple IoT solutions using ESPHome. No programming or soldering skills are required, making this workshop highly accessible to beginners and anyone curious about home automation.