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Temporal
Temporal logoTemporal · Feature trail

Open Source Embedded Playground

1 post · May 2026

What this trail covers

The Temporal Agent Harness provides an outer layer of control and durability for AI agents, integrating with existing inner agent SDKs. It offers durable execution for agent interactions, a "turn"-based model for managing complex interactions, strongly typed agent interfaces for composition, and controls around tool execution, including approval policies. It also introduces a "code mode" for executing model-generated Python code in secure, durable sandboxes. This post codifies base templates and documentation for the open-source embedded playground, demonstrating how to build and deploy custom applications on hardware devices using Temporal's orchestration capabilities. The project includes firmware, hardware design files, flashing workflows, and community app infrastructure, enabling users to inspect, modify, repair, reflash, and extend the badge's functionality.

All Temporal trails
  1. How we turned the Replay keynote surprise into an open-source embedded playgroundThis post details the open-sourcing of the Temporal badge ecosystem, including firmware, hardware design files (KiCad, Gerbers, CPLs), fabrication outputs, documentation, flashing workflows (Temporal-powered), MicroPython examples, and community app infrastructure. It highlights the challenges and lessons learned in managing hardware development within a Git repository, the firmware's role in providing 'joy infrastructure' and a tiny operating environment, and the memory constraints and management strategies specific to embedded systems (flash, internal SRAM, PSRAM). The post emphasizes the tension between creating attendee delight and making the badge hackable, and the practicalities of hardware development such as fab revisions and datasheet-induced 'spooks'.
  2. I built 2,000 badges for Replay and I’m not sure I’ve slept since DecemberThis post details the creation of 2,000 custom hardware badges for the Replay conference. It covers the entire lifecycle from concept and design, including early sketches and hardware specifications (ESP32-S3 microcontroller, OLED screen, IR, joystick, buttons, haptic feedback, LED matrix, gyroscope). The firmware was written in C with a MicroPython layer, and the author extensively used generative AI (Claude, Codex) for development, managing over 21,000 lines of AI architecture debate documentation. The post also discusses the challenges of scaling from a single prototype to mass manufacturing, drawing inspiration from DEF CON badges and collaborating with hardware consultants and manufacturers in Shenzhen. The open-source nature of the codebase and hardware designs is highlighted.