The FOSSASIA team recently participated in the 37th Chaos Communication Congress (37c3), an annual four-day conference on technology, society and utopia organised by the Chaos Computer Club (CCC) and volunteers. The event was held in Hamburg, attracting over 10,000 participants.

Highlights of FOSSASIA’s Presence at 37c3

The FOSSASIA Assembly: We were a member of the Critical Decentralisation Cluster, a diverse collective of “assemblies”, showcasing projects and discussing the future of decentralisation. The FOSSASIA assembly served as a focal point for discussions, collaborative coding sessions, and networking. We conducted multiple workshops and talks at our assembly. The visitors had the chance to to connect with our team, dive deep into various topics, gaining insights and hands-on experience. More details at https://events.ccc.de/congress/2023/hub/en/assembly/FOSSASIA 

Showcasing Open Source Hardware: We presented the next iteration of the Pocket Science Lab, an open hardware project designed for science and electronics experiments. The audience’s overwhelmingly positive feedback was invaluable, offering insights into potential hardware enhancements. The interactive LED badge received significant interest. Some users organised a workshop where they shared optimal approaches for presenting content on the badge. A few developers spontaneously delved into firmware hacking. And now a new group was formed to develop the open source firmware version, we hope to release it by the next CCC. Interested in open source firmware? Check out https://github.com/fossasia/badgemagic-firmware 

Collaborations and Connections: One of the greatest strengths of events like 37c3 is the opportunity to make new collaborations and strengthen existing connections. During our daily “Tea and Chat” hour, we got the chance to connect with like-minded individuals, potential collaborators, and fellow open source enthusiasts. The experience of reconnecting with familiar faces in a physical space was truly heartwarming.

Looking Forward

As we reflect on our participation at 37c3, we are inspired by the collective passion for technology and openness that spread throughout the event. The connections made and knowledge shared during our time at 37c3 will undoubtedly fuel our ongoing commitment to advancing open source and community-driven projects.

A big thank you to the organizers, fellow participants, and everyone who stopped by the FOSSASIA assembly at 37c3. We hope to see you at the upcoming FOSSASIA Summit!