08-16, 14:00–14:50 (US/Eastern), Little Theatre
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.
As the leader of the Internet Freedom team at Google’s Jigsaw, Vinicius Fortuna develops cutting-edge tools to fight digital censorship — most notably Outline VPN, which provides uncensored access to millions. Previously at Google Search his team pioneered the Knowledge Panels, transforming how over a billion people engage with online information. Earlier, he led an innovative location-based MMO mobile game before smartphones existed. After discovering a passion for electronics at a past HOPE event, he now leverages his extensive software and product development expertise to make technology more accessible through workshops like these.
Victoria Joh is an electronics enthusiast and computer scientist who is currently specializing in cybersecurity for operational technology. In her spare time, she is getting back to her roots in programming and learning about electrical and computer engineering. Last year was her first at HOPE. She is returning this year, inspired by the continued developments in the HOPE badge hacking community - and is looking to give back in this year’s workshop.
