Party Mode Belt Buckle
November 19th, 2008
One evening at the bar, Josh had an idea. He wanted a belt buckle, but not just any belt buckle. It should be in the shape of Tennessee. It should be electronic, with a `Party Mode’ begun by a button on the front face. Managing a party can be complicated, so it should have a good microcontroller, like the Texas Instruments MSP430F1612. It should have have two modes: Party Mode, and Off.
Not waiting to for sobriety, Travis had his designated driver take him to the lab, where he threw together the following CAD description of the belt-buckle.
This was then ordered through BatchPCB, producing a real belt buckle! Several painstaking hours of hot-air soldering later, a belt buckle was had!
The prototype was then taken back to the bar, and promptly lost. Josh, then had another idea: If parties could be had with a truly awesome belt buckle, perhaps the true spirit of the buckle was not in the electronics but rather in the idea. So an unpopulated PCB was taken to party!
There has since been much rejoicing, and a new, improved belt buckle will soon be available. So whenever you feel sad or uninspired, think of the belt buckle and giggle. Belt buckle!
November 21st, 2008 at 6:07 pm
[...] Gourneau and I are proud to open this site with the Party Mode Belt Buckle that we’ve been showing around the neighborly city of [...]
December 30th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Dude. You’re my hero.
(I’m the 16-year-old kid from 25C3)
December 31st, 2008 at 4:16 pm
this could not be more awesome. when can i purchase one?
party mode: ON!
lance
January 15th, 2009 at 2:17 am
I want one for my sister!
January 15th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Well…like…that’s just your opinion, Man.
January 29th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Wow…that’s just amazing!
January 30th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
You guys are brilliant!
Ami
February 20th, 2009 at 5:12 am
Belt buckle!
March 6th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Belt buckle = hot girls!
March 11th, 2009 at 7:54 am
[...] by Mitch Altman and Lady Ada. (N.B., Defcon 16 badges had TV-B-Gone firmware.) It’s also a Tennessee Belt Buckle. Grab the CC-licensed Eagle Source, and expect a final revision to be posted when I have the badges [...]
May 13th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
When utilitarian apparel meets tech – that’s so belt buckle
August 5th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
You’re right . . . girls do dig a guy with a good belt buckle!
D-