Join us as we chat with Hyr0n and Zapp from AND!XOR Group about their iconic badges for DEF CON 31. Learn about the challenges and creative process behind their badges, including the returning Snackey Vending Machine. Discover how AI enhances their workflow while uncovering its limitations. Get ready for a captivating conversation!

Text:

Guests:

• Hyr0n & Zapp from AND!XOR 

Intro to AND!XOR and Previous Badge Designs for DEF CON

• A brief history of AND!XOR group 
• The origins of Hyr0n & Zapp’s involvement in creating badges for DEF CON 
• Recapping previous DEF CON badges, including last year’s Project Snackey 
• The challenges of previous years badge design, including troubleshooting voltage issues and a weird bug that developed in Snackey halfway through DEF CON last year

DEF CON 31: Snackey is back! 

• Exciting news: Snackey Vending Machine is back with new improvements! 
• Balancing aesthetics and technical features while troubleshooting badge challenges
• Leveraging AI tools to enhance efficiency and accuracy in badge designs
• Upcoming Hacker challenges at DEF CON including the mysterious Black Badges and announcing that Sanckey is an official challenge this year! 
• Building a strong community at DEF CON through collaboration and solving challenges together 

Summary/Takeaways:

• Embrace the journey and learn from failures as they often lead to the most memorable experiences.
• AI is a powerful tool for automating tedious tasks but won't replace programmers anytime soon.

Previous Episodes Featuring AND!XOR: 

• MEP EP#342: Hackery Experts
• MEP EP#238: Better Encryption than Zoom, Firmware Stacks with AND!XOR
• MEP EP#183: Feel the Hum
• MEP EP#109
• MEP EP#69

Thank you for listening to the MacroFab Engineering Podcast!  We’d love to hear what you think of the show so please tweet at us @MacroFab and join our slack channel at Macrofab dot com / slack or email us at [email protected].