I've been getting a lot of questions about the Arc Badge so I wanted to  take a moment to address them here on the Project Log so I can quickly share it.

What will it do?

The Arc Badge lights up with various colors and patterns.  The default mode is the classic blue one expects out of an Arc Reactor Prop.  There are other color options and more lively animated modes.  Video demonstrations of these modes will be shared closer to release and will accompany the Tindie listing.

It also holds 2 SAOs (Shitty Add-ons) and the two female connections will be populated with the correct keyed female connector.

How is it powered?

Arc Badge is powered by 2xAA batteries.  We haven't done any kind of formal battery testing but early indicators show that the badge by itself will probably last throughout DEF CON.  Granted that's the badge alone and doesn't take into account SAOs and their potential power draw.  It's always a good idea to play it safe and bring a spare set or two for your AA powered badges.

Who is your board house and who is doing the assembly?

Board house: PCBWay.  No particular reason other than I've done a lot of projects with them and know what to expect.  Wire (@wireengineer) (who you might recognize from the Tymkrs) is doing the heavy lifting with the software.  I (TwinkleTwinkie) am handling all of the assembly & programming by myself.    I wanted to do all my own assembly again this year, next year I will likely consider outsourcing.

How many are you going to make?

I'm aiming for 200 to sell and 20 for donations and trading, final numbers will depend on final yield of course.

Will the firmware be made open source?

Most likely yes, my intention is to release the firmware for those who want to tinker with it.

When will it be available?

The final board designs are in production now and I'm hoping to get them within a week of this posting.  The 1's and 0's are coming together nicely as well so I'm expecting to launch in June.

Where will it be sold?

At the moment I'm only planning on selling them on Tindie (https://www.tindie.com/stores/twinkletwinkie/).  Depending on timing and inventory available I might have some for Hacker Warehouse to carry at DEF CON.

What's in the box!?

The Arc Badge will come with:

• Assembled Badge
• Iron Gauntlet SAO (Badge Exclusive)
• Red Dual Lobster Clip Lanyard
• 2x AA Batteries

How much will it cost?

The Arc Badge will be listed on Tindie for $90 USD with $10 USPS Priority Shipping.   Shipping outside of US & Canada will probably not be an option this time.