On Saturday, a YouTube creator who goes by “ChromaLock” posted a video explaining how he modified a Texas Instruments TI-84 graphing calculator to connect to the internet and access OpenAI’s ChatGPT, potentially allowing students to cheat on tests. The video, titled “I Made The Ultimate Cheating Device,” demonstrates a custom hardware modification that allows users of the graphing calculator to type out problems sent to ChatGPT using the keypad and receive live responses on the screen.
ChromaLock began by exploring the calculator’s link port, which is typically used to transfer educational programs between devices. He then designed a custom circuit board he calls the “TI-32,” which contains a small Wi-Fi microcontroller called the Seed Studio ESP32-C3 (which costs about $5) along with other components to interface with the calculator’s systems.
It’s worth noting that the TI-32 hack is not a commercial project. Replicating ChromaLock’s work would involve purchasing a TI-84 calculator, a Seed Studio ESP32-C3 microcontroller, and various electronic components, and fabricating a custom PCB based on ChromaLock’s design, which is available online.
The maker says it ran into several technical challenges during development, including voltage incompatibilities and signal integrity issues. After developing multiple versions, ChromaLock successfully installed the modified board into the calculator’s chassis with no visible signs of external modification.
YouTube video “I made the ultimate cheat device”.
To accompany the hardware, ChromaLock developed custom software for the microcontroller and calculator, which is open-sourced on GitHub. The system simulates another TI-84, allowing people to use the calculator’s built-in “send” and “get” commands to transfer files. This allows a 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 is especially useful for answering short questions. The downside is that typing long alphanumeric questions on the limited keyboard is slow and cumbersome.
In addition to the ChatGPT interface, the device offers a number of other cheating tools. An image browser allows users to open pre-prepared visual aids stored on the central server. The app browser function allows students to download not only games for post-exam entertainment, but also text-based cheat sheets disguised as program source code. ChromaLock even hinted at a future video discussing a camera feature, though details were scarce in the current demo.
ChromaLock claims its new device can bypass common anti-cheat measures. The launcher can be downloaded on demand, evading detection if a teacher inspects the calculator's memory or clears it for a test. The tweak can also wake calculators from “Test Mode,” a locked state used to prevent cheating.
While the video presents the project as a technical feat, consulting ChatGPT on your calculator during a test is almost certainly an ethical violation and/or a form of academic dishonesty that could get you into serious trouble at most schools. So be careful, study hard, and don't forget to eat your Wheaties.
