First released in 2004 by Texas Instruments, the TI-84 Plus remains a highly popular computing device in the education market. A custom mod is currently introducing new features and capabilities to this calculator, potentially turning an ordinary TI-84 Plus into the ultimate cheating tool.
The TI-84 Plus graphing calculator offers a dominant standardized design in the global education market, even with competition from smartphones with comparable capabilities. This popular calculator already possesses several advanced features, but it could achieve even more through engineering creativity.
Hardware programmer ChromaLock recently posted a video demonstrating how he added an invisible modification to the TI-84 Plus Silver Edition and TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition versions. This hack can provide internet access to the calculator, along with additional features such as ChatGPT access and Wi-Fi support.
The TI-32 mod is undetectable and can bypass anti-cheating protocols implemented by educational institutions. ChromaLock does not encourage “academic dishonesty,” emphasizing that he created this mod and video for educational purposes. Nevertheless, a modded TI-84 Plus calculator can do much more than the engineers at Texas Instruments ever imagined.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bicjxl4EcJg
The TI-32 model uses an ESP32 C3 microcontroller to simulate another TI-84, connecting the two devices via a Wi-Fi network. A modified TI-84 shows no obvious signs of being hacked, but tech-savvy users can unlock the mod’s features through the calculator’s text interface. ChromaLock can even load additional features from a pre-configured server or from a personal computer acting as one.
In his video, ChromaLock demonstrates how to use the mod to input complex math problems into the ChatGPT AI system or quickly retrieve vocabulary definitions without searching the Internet. There is a “chat” feature, although it requires a complex setup involving two modified devices and a helper. Users can also access graphic resources through a built-in image viewer.
Users can further upgrade the modified TI-84 calculator by creating custom applications and hosting them on a server. ChromaLock has hinted at several applications he is developing, including a “camera app” that he is currently testing.
Other applications for the TI-32 mod listed on its GitHub page include changing Wi-Fi settings directly from the calculator’s small screen, supporting color images, multi-page responses from ChatGPT, a larger menu, basic web browsing with HTTPS encryption, and many other features.
According to Techspot
