On Saturday, a YouTube creator referred to as “ChromaLock” revealed a video detailing how he modified a Texas Devices TI-84 graphing calculator to connect with the Web and entry OpenAI’s ChatGPT, probably enabling college students to cheat on exams. The video, titled “I Made The Final Dishonest System,” demonstrates a customized {hardware} modification that permits customers of the graphing calculator to kind in issues despatched to ChatGPT utilizing the keypad and obtain dwell responses on the display screen.
ChromaLock started by exploring the calculator’s hyperlink port, usually used for transferring instructional applications between gadgets. He then designed a customized circuit board he calls “TI-32” that comes with a tiny Wi-Fi-enabled microcontroller, the Seed Studio ESP32-C3 (which prices about $5), together with different parts to interface with the calculator’s techniques.
It is price noting that the TI-32 hack is not a industrial challenge. Replicating ChromaLock’s work would contain buying a TI-84 calculator, a Seed Studio ESP32-C3 microcontroller, and numerous digital parts, and fabricating a customized PCB based mostly on ChromaLock’s design, which is accessible on-line.
The creator says he encountered a number of engineering challenges throughout growth, together with voltage incompatibilities and sign integrity points. After growing a number of variations, ChromaLock efficiently put in the customized board into the calculator’s housing with none seen indicators of modifications from the skin.
“I Made The Final Dishonest System” YouTube Video.
To accompany the {hardware}, ChromaLock developed customized software program for the microcontroller and the calculator, which is out there open supply on GitHub. The system simulates one other TI-84, permitting folks to make use of the calculator’s built-in “ship” and “get” instructions to switch information. This enables a person to simply obtain a launcher program that gives entry to varied “applets” designed for dishonest.
One of many applets is a ChatGPT interface that is likely to be most helpful for answering brief questions, but it surely has a disadvantage in that it is gradual and cumbersome to kind in lengthy alphanumeric questions on the restricted keypad.
Past the ChatGPT interface, the system presents a number of different dishonest instruments. A picture browser permits customers to entry pre-prepared visible aids saved on the central server. The app browser function allows college students to obtain not solely video games for post-exam leisure but in addition text-based cheat sheets disguised as program supply code. ChromaLock even hinted at a future video discussing a digicam function, although particulars have been sparse within the present demo.
ChromaLock claims his new system can bypass frequent anti-cheating measures. The launcher program could be downloaded on-demand, avoiding detection if a trainer inspects or clears the calculator’s reminiscence earlier than a take a look at. The modification may also supposedly break calculators out of “Check Mode,” a locked-down state used to forestall dishonest.
Whereas the video presents the challenge as a technical achievement, consulting ChatGPT throughout a take a look at in your calculator nearly actually represents an moral breach and/or a type of educational dishonesty that might get you in deep trouble at most faculties. So tread rigorously, research exhausting, and bear in mind to eat your Wheaties.
