Custom Hacker Badge

June 13, the brainstorm

Today I wanted to create something new that involved pcb design and programming. I've decided to settle on creating an e-ink badge for conventions/meets and how it can be fully customizable. It would also serve as a practice project before creating a music player/stand that I have in mind. I have pulled inspo from the badger 2040 and the github badger(both images below)

heres the functions that I plan to have: - 2.9 display, (296 x 128 pixels) - flash storage - customizable buttons + boot/reset - leds (maybe) - lipo and charge circit(jst connector) - can be programmed in c++ and micropython or fancy website for configs

so far I focused on scoping ideal functions and planning out all the features that I would want. I've used a rp2040 before and it was kinda fun!

time spent ~1hour ish

June 14, the planning

Right now, I've got a barebone rp2040 mcu setup as well as the hardware needed to communicate to a ffc data cable from the screen. This took a lot of planning since its been a while since i've tinkered with embedded electronics. I was at first thinking to use smth like a xiao rp2040 but decided i wanted to challenge myself and gone thru this route. I was also thinking about using a display that aready had a display hat on it, but was it was super expensive($20-40)

Thats all for now!!!

ps holy hierarchical sheets r so cool time spent ~6 hours ishAA

June 16, charge circuit!!!

For today i wanted to implement a lipo into the design and find a way to charge it. I first looked at all the cells avail and noticed 3.7V was the most common so i decided to get that, however the rp2040 only accepts 5v and heres where a boost converter comes in! The mt3608 converts my 3.7v battery into usable 5v through two resistors. I also decided to use the tp4056 battery ic in this project as it was cheap in lscs. ps kinda running out of spaceeeee

**time spent ~4ish hours