# NiceBadge

**NiceBadge** is an electronic conference badge and a hands-on platform for learning [TinyGo](https://tinygo.org/) programming.

Whether you are attending a conference or just getting started with embedded development, NiceBadge gives you a real piece of hardware to hack on, complete with a ready-to-use firmware, step-by-step tutorials, and progressively more advanced examples that unlock every capability of the board.

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![NiceBadge PCB render](assets/pcb1.png)

## Features

| Peripheral | Details |
|---|---|
| Color display | Compact full-color screen (FJ08K-S), ST7789 driver |
| Buttons | 2 Cherry MX hot-swap mechanical switches |
| Joystick | Alps EC11E rotary encoder with push switch |
| RGB LEDs | 2 × SK6812MINI-E addressable LEDs, WS2812 driver |
| StemmQT connector | JST SH 4-pin for I2C expansion modules |
| Buzzer | 5.5 mm passive buzzer for audio feedback |
| Bluetooth | BLE via the nRF52840 on the nice!nano |
| USB HID | Acts as a keyboard/mouse over USB thanks to the nice!nano |
| Battery | Onboard battery cell header (2-pin 2.00 mm) |

The microcontroller is the **[nice!nano](https://nicekeyboards.com/nice-nano/)** (nRF52840), which is fully supported by TinyGo and exposes both USB HID and Bluetooth HID out of the box.

![NiceBadge PCB circuit](assets/pcb2.png)

## Repository layout

```
nicebadge/
├── hardware/          # KiCad PCB design files
│   └── PCB-kicad/
│       └── production/  # Gerbers, BOM, pick-and-place files
└── tutorials/         # Step-by-step examples (coming soon)
```

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## Firmware

NiceBadge ships two ready-to-use firmwares:

### Demo firmware (conference)

A showcase firmware that demonstrates all badge peripherals — LEDs, display, buttons, joystick, buzzer, and BLE. Ideal for conferences and as a starting point for your own experiments.

Repository: [code.madriguera.me/GoEducation/badges](https://code.madriguera.me/GoEducation/badges)

### HID firmware

Turns the badge into a fully functional USB/Bluetooth keyboard. Built on top of [sago35/keyboards](https://github.com/sago35/keyboards), a TinyGo framework for custom keyboards.

Repository: [github.com/sago35/keyboards](https://github.com/sago35/keyboards)

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## Getting started

### Prerequisites

- [TinyGo](https://tinygo.org/getting-started/) ≥ 0.32
- [Go](https://go.dev/dl/) ≥ 1.22
- A NiceBadge board (see hardware section below) or a compatible nice!nano dev board

---

## Hardware

All design files are located in [hardware/PCB-kicad/](hardware/PCB-kicad/).
Production files (Gerbers, BOM, positions) ready for fabrication are in [hardware/PCB-kicad/production/](hardware/PCB-kicad/production/).

### Bill of Materials

| Designator | Value / Part | Footprint | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|
| BT1 | Battery Cell | PinHeader 2×01 P2.00 mm Vertical | 1 |
| BZ1 | Buzzer | Buzzer 5.5 mm | 1 |
| DISPLAY1 | Display connector | PinHeader 1×08 P2.54 mm Vertical | 1 |
| H1, H2, H3, H4 | Mounting Hole | M2 | 4 |
| LED1, LED2 | YS-SK6812MINI-E | SK6812MINI-E | 2 |
| R1, R2 | Resistor | Axial DIN0207 L6.3 mm D2.5 mm P10.16 mm | 2 |
| STEMMAQT1 | StemmQT connector | JST SH SM04B-SRSS-TB 1×04 P1.00 mm | 1 |
| SW1, SW2B1 | Push switch | Cherry MX Hot-swap | 2 |
| SW2 | Rotary Encoder + Switch | Alps EC11E Vertical H20 mm | 1 |
| SW2B, SW2C | Key switch | Strap hole | 2 |
| U1 | nice!nano | nice_nano | 1 |
| U2 | FJ08K-S | FJ08K-S | 1 |

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## Tutorials & examples

The tutorial series walks you through every peripheral of the badge, starting from blinking an LED and ending with a Bluetooth HID device:

1. Hello, Badge! — blink the RGB LEDs
2. Drawing on the display — TinyGo + TinyDraw
3. Reading buttons and the joystick
4. Playing sounds with the buzzer
5. I2C expansion via StemmQT
6. Going wireless — BLE advertisements and GATT services
7. USB HID — turn the badge into a keyboard

*(Tutorials are coming soon — contributions welcome!)*

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## License

See [LICENSE](LICENSE).
