Developer reverse-engineered OBSBOT webcam protocol to build AI-controlled camera tool

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A developer reverse-engineered the undocumented USB control protocol of the OBSBOT Tiny 2 motorized webcam to build a custom MCP server, enabling an AI model to autonomously aim the camera at objects it identifies. Using the Ghidra disassembly tool, they decoded the camera's proprietary binary packet format, including CRC checksums, command IDs, and nested gimbal movement segments. The project revealed four separate communication channels used by the vendor app, and a key breakthrough came when USB traffic capture exposed a wrong opcode that was silently ignored by the firmware with no error response. The developer noted that static code analysis and live traffic capture serve as complementary but distinct sources of truth when working with undocumented hardware protocols. The finished MCP server allows an AI model to take a snapshot, identify a target, and repoint the camera — closing a visual feedback loop entirely through software.

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