How to Turn Your Adafruit PyPortal Into a Portable Conference Badge

Like everything else Adafruit makes, the PyPortal is a well-thought-out device designed to make your projects go as smoothly as possible. It is, nominally, intended for Internet of Things (IoT) projects, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t useful in other areas. In the Ruiz Brothers’ newest Adafruit guide they’ll show you how to make your PyPortal portable, which is perfect for your next conference badge.

The Adafruit PyPortal is a “CircuitPython-powered Internet display” that packs a Microchip ATSAMD51J20 32-bit microcontroller, an ESP32 module for WiFi connectivity, a 3.2" 320x240 color touchscreen TFT screen, and a whole lot of sensors and available connections. The idea is that you’ll use it for something like a weather monitor or desktop YouTube subscriber counter. But, the PyPortal has a lot of power and built-in goodies, and that makes it ideal for an interactive name tag.

To use it as such, you’ll need to make your PyPortal portable. This short guide will walk you through how to do exactly that. In addition to the PyPortal itself, you’re going to need an Adafruit PowerBoost 1000 Charger, a 3.7V lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery, and a header cable. Connecting everything is a snap: just plug your battery into the PowerBoost and use the header cable to connect it to the PyPortal. The Powerboost handles charging and voltage regulation, and makes your PyPortal completely portable! All you have to do is figure out what you’re going to do with that portability.