This year's Defcon badges incorporate an innovative open source chip, the Baochip-1x, designed by hardware hacker Andrew "bunnie" Huang. This chip aims to enhance security, transparency, and trustworthiness in computing.

Unlike traditional chips, the Baochip is packaged to allow visual inspection of its internal structures using infrared light, addressing supply-chain concerns. Huang has published the chip's source code for the operating system, firmware, processor core, and cryptographic engines on GitHub, enabling full verification.

The core module of the Baochip can be removed after the conference and used as a hardware security token, offering a second life beyond Defcon. This makes it potentially the world's first fully inspectable open source security token. The 27,000 Defcon badges represent the first major distribution of the Baochip.

The chip's design includes a RISC-V core and features like secure boot and a true random number generator, making it resistant to attacks. It also incorporates a low-resolution camera for QR code scanning, supporting authentication systems.