How Traceloop Used a Custom Macropad to Win “Best Swag” and Power Vibe Coding at the AI Engineer World’s Fair

At the recent AI Engineer World’s Fair, one piece of swag stood out from the rest — a sleek 2-key custom macropad loaded with functionality and minimalism. It wasn’t just a giveaway; it was a statement. Traceloop’s team distributed these mini macropads as part of their booth experience — and the crowd loved it so much, they walked away with the “Best Swag” award.

But what made this tiny device so impactful?

The macropad, built through macropad.io, was designed specifically for what Traceloop calls vibe coding — the idea of telling AI tools to write a code in human language. Instead of switching tabs or typing the same actions repeatedly, Traceloop’s engineers used the two keys to trigger their most-used functions instantly:
🔘 Accept
🔘 Reject

With these mapped shortcuts, they could interact with their AI-powered code suggestions seamlessly, keeping their momentum intact. It’s a small change with a big impact — eliminating friction from repetitive actions and letting the devs stay in the zone.

This setup was a conversation starter too. Dozens of engineers, founders, and creators took photos with the macropad, shared it on X (formerly Twitter), and praised its tactile simplicity.

Why it worked so well:

  • Instant action keys = no more mental context switching
  • Custom keycap legends = branded, intuitive functionality
  • Ultra-portable form factor = perfect for conferences and demo stations
  • Fun, interactive swag = memorable + functional

At macropad.io, we believe productivity tools should be as flexible and creative as the people who use them. Traceloop’s use case is a perfect example of how even the smallest custom device — when designed thoughtfully — can leave a big impression and boost workflow efficiency.

Whether you're automating AI prompts, speeding up design tools, or looking for functional swag that people actually use, a custom macropad might be exactly what your team needs.

👉 Learn how to design your own productivity-boosting macropad.

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