# 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. --- ![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 └── tutorial/ # TinyGo tutorials and examples ├── basics/ # Step-by-step basics (step0 → step10) ├── ble/ # Bluetooth Low Energy examples └── examples/ # Standalone examples (sensors, HID, etc.) ``` --- ## 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) --- ## 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 | --- ## Tutorials & examples All code lives under [`tutorial/`](tutorial/). Flash any step from inside that directory: ```sh cd tutorial tinygo flash -target nicenano ./basics/step0 ``` Run `go mod tidy` once inside `tutorial/` to fetch all dependencies. --- ### Basics A progressive series that introduces every peripheral one at a time. | Step | What it does | |------|--------------| | [step0](tutorial/basics/step0/) | Blink the built-in LED — verifies the flash toolchain works | | [step1](tutorial/basics/step1/) | Built-in LED controlled by button A | | [step2](tutorial/basics/step2/) | WS2812 RGB LEDs alternating red and green | | [step3](tutorial/basics/step3/) | WS2812 LEDs change color with buttons A, B, and rotary | | [step3b](tutorial/basics/step3b/) | Rainbow cycle on the LEDs, A/B scroll through the hue | | [step4](tutorial/basics/step4/) | "Hello Gophers!" text on the display | | [step5](tutorial/basics/step5/) | Display shows a circle per button; rings appear on press | | [step6](tutorial/basics/step6/) | Analog joystick — a dot follows the stick on the display | | [step7](tutorial/basics/step7/) | Rotary encoder — turning cycles LED colors, push resets | | [step8](tutorial/basics/step8/) | Passive buzzer plays a note per button press | | [step9](tutorial/basics/step9/) | USB MIDI — badge sends notes C4 / E4 / G4 to any DAW | | [step10](tutorial/basics/step10/) | USB HID mouse — joystick moves the cursor, A/B click | --- ### BLE Bluetooth Low Energy examples using the nRF52840 on the nice!nano. Compatible apps: **nRF Connect**, **nRF Toolbox**, **Serial Bluetooth Terminal**, **LightBlue**. | Step | What it does | |------|--------------| | [step1](tutorial/ble/step1/) | **Counter** — advertises as Nordic UART Service (NUS), sends an incrementing counter via BLE notifications every second; display shows connection status and current value; send `reset` from the app to restart the count | | [step2](tutorial/ble/step2/) | **LED color control** — mobile writes 3 bytes (R, G, B) to a custom characteristic; both WS2812 LEDs and the display update immediately | | [step3](tutorial/ble/step3/) | **Scanner** — lists nearby BLE devices with name and RSSI, color-coded by signal strength; button A clears the list | --- ### Examples Standalone, feature-complete programs. | Example | What it does | Extra hardware | |---------|--------------|----------------| | [thermal-camera](tutorial/examples/thermal-camera/) | AMG88xx 8×8 IR sensor upscaled with bilinear interpolation and rendered with an iron-palette color map on the full display | AMG88xx sensor on I2C1 (SDA=P0_17, SCL=P0_20) | | [rubber-duck](tutorial/examples/rubber-duck/) | USB HID keyboard automation (Ubuntu/GNOME target): opens a text editor, types a message, and launches a URL. Press button A to trigger | — | | [co2-sensor](tutorial/examples/co2-sensor/) | SCD4x CO2/temperature/humidity sensor: display background turns green/yellow/red by CO2 level, LEDs mirror the color, buzzer warns above 1500 ppm | SCD4x sensor on I2C1 (SDA=P0_17, SCL=P0_20) | --- ## Acknowledgements NiceBadge is based on the **[conf2025badge](https://github.com/sago35/keyboards/tree/main/conf2025badge)** by [sago35](https://github.com/sago35), which debuted at the TinyGo Conference in Japan. NiceBadge shares the same form-factor and was built on top of the groundwork たかさごさん laid there. Thank you, for the inspiration, the open design, and all the work that made this possible. --- ## License See [LICENSE](LICENSE).