On Saturday, a YouTube creator named ChromaLock released a video detailing how a Texas Instruments TI-84 graphing calculator was modified to connect to the internet and access OpenAI’s ChatGPT, potentially allowing students to cheat on tests. Published. This video, titled “I Made the Ultimate Cheating Device,” shows the custom hardware that allows graphing calculator users to use a keypad to enter questions submitted to ChatGPT and receive live responses on screen. shows the changes.
ChromaLock started by investigating link ports on calculators, which are typically used to transfer educational programs between devices. Next, he designed a custom circuit board he called “TI-32.” The circuit board incorporates the Seed Studio ESP32-C3, a small Wi-Fi-enabled microcontroller (priced around $5), and other components for interfacing with the calculator’s system.
Please note that the TI-32 hack is not a commercial project. To replicate ChromaLock’s work, you will need to purchase a TI-84 calculator, a Seed Studio ESP32-C3 microcontroller, and various electronic components to manufacture a custom PCB based on ChromaLock’s design, which is available online.
The developers say they encountered several engineering challenges during development, including voltage incompatibilities and signal integrity issues. After developing multiple versions, ChromaLock was able to successfully attach the custom board to the calculator’s housing with no visible signs of modification from the outside.
To accompany the hardware, ChromaLock developed custom software for the microcontroller and calculator. It is available as open source on GitHub. This system simulates another TI-84 and allows you to transfer files using the calculator’s built-in “send” and “get” commands. This allows users to easily download launcher programs that provide access to various “applets” designed for fraudulent activities.
One of the applets is the ChatGPT interface, which is most useful for answering short questions, but has the disadvantage that typing long alphanumeric questions on the limited keypad is slow and cumbersome.
Besides the ChatGPT interface, the device offers several other cheating tools. The image browser allows users to access pre-prepared visual aids stored on a central server. The app browser feature allows students to download not only games for post-exam entertainment, but also text-based cheat sheets disguised as program source code. ChromaLock hinted at a future video explaining camera features, but details were sparse in the current demo.
ChromaLock claims his new device can bypass common anti-fraud measures. The launcher program can be downloaded on demand, allowing teachers to avoid detection by inspecting or erasing the calculator’s memory before testing. It is believed that this fix could also take the calculator out of test mode, a lockdown state used to prevent fraud.
Although the video presents the project as a technical achievement, referencing ChatGPT during a calculator test is an ethical violation and/or academic misconduct that can get you into serious trouble at most schools. There is almost no doubt that it is a type of. Therefore, walk carefully, study hard and remember to eat flour.
This story originally appeared on Ars Technica.
