On Saturday, a YouTube creator called ChromaLock published a video detailing how he modified a Texas Instruments TI-84 graphing calculator to connect to the Internet and access OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which can potentially cheat on exams. The video, titled “I Made the Ultimate Cheat Device,” shows a custom hardware modification that allows graphing calculator users to type in problems posted to ChatGPT using the keypad and get live answers on the screen.
ChromaLock began by exploring the computer link port, which is typically used to transfer educational programs between devices. He then designed a custom circuit board he called the “TI-32” that included a Wi-Fi-enabled microcontroller, a Seed Studio ESP32-C3 (costing about $5), and other components to interface with computing systems.
It should be noted that hacking the TI-32 is not a commercial project. Replicating the ChromaLock function would involve purchasing a TI-84 calculator, a Seed Studio ESP32-C3 controller, and various electronic components, and making a custom PCB based on the ChromaLock design, available online.
The creator says he encountered several engineering challenges during development, including voltage inconsistencies and signal integrity issues. After developing multiple versions, ChromaLock successfully installed the custom board in the calculator housing without any visible signs of changes from the outside.
To complement the hardware, ChromaLock has developed custom software for the microcontroller and calculator, which is available as open source on GitHub. The system emulates another TI-84, allowing people to use the built-in “send” and “receive” commands to transfer files. This allows the user to easily download a launcher program that provides access to various “applets” designed for cheating.
One of the applets is a ChatGPT interface that can be very useful for answering short questions, but it has a drawback because it is slow and difficult to type long alphanumeric questions on a limited keypad.
Beyond the ChatGPT interface, the device offers several other cheating tools. The image browser allows users to access preconfigured visualization resources stored on a central server. The app’s browser feature gives students the opportunity to download not only fun post-exam games but also cheat sheets based on hidden texts like the app’s source code. ChromaLock even hinted at a future video discussing the camera feature, though details were scarce in the current demo.
ChromaLock says its new device can bypass traditional anti-cheat methods. The launcher program can be downloaded if needed, avoiding detection if the teacher checks or clears the calculator’s memory before the test. Modifications may also appear to break counters in Test Mode, a lock mode used to prevent cheating.
While the video presents the project as a technical success, consulting ChatGPT during an exam on your computer almost certainly represents a breach of ethics and/or a form of academic dishonesty that could land you in serious trouble at many schools. So tread carefully, study hard, and remember to eat your Breasts.
This story appeared first Ars Technica.
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