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Cheating 101: First released in 2004 by Texas Instruments, the TI-84 Plus remains a highly popular computational device in the educational market. A custom-made mod is now introducing new features and capabilities to the calculator, potentially transforming a humble TI-84 into the ultimate cheating tool.
The TI-84 graphing calculator provides a standardized design that dominates the global education market, even in a world of equally capable smartphones. The popular calculator already offers some advanced features, but it can achieve even more with a touch of creative engineering.
Hardware hacker ChromaLock recently posted a video outlining how he added an invisible modification to the TI-84 Plus Silver Edition and TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition. The hack can provide internet access to the calculator, plus additional features like ChatGPT access and Wi-Fi support.
The TI-32 mod is undetectable and can bypass anti-cheating protocols employed by educational institutions. ChromaLock doesn't encourage "academic dishonesty," noting that he created the mod and video for educational purposes. Sure. Be that as it may, a modded TI-84 Plus calculator can do more things than Texas Instruments engineers ever imagined.
The TI-32 mod uses an ESP32 C3 microcontroller to emulate another TI-84, connecting the two devices over Wi-Fi. A modded TI-84 has no visible signs of being hacked, but tech-savvy users can unlock the mod's features through the calculator's textual interface. ChromaLock could even download additional features from a pre-configured server or even a home PC working as such.
In his video, ChromaLock demonstrates how he could use the mod to input complex math problems into ChatGPT's AI engine or quickly obtain vocabulary definitions without searching the internet. There is a "chat" feature, albeit requiring a complex setup involving two modded devices and an accomplice. Users can also access graphical resources with an integrated image viewer.
Users could improve a modded TI-84 calculator further by creating custom apps and making them available on the server. ChromaLock teased a few apps he has been working on, including a "camera app" he is testing.
Some other uses for the TI-32 mod listed on its GitHub page include changing Wi-Fi settings directly from the calculator's tiny screen, color image support, multi-page responses from ChatGPT, bigger menus, basic web browsing with HTTPS encryption, and more.