MakerLab Tools

The problem

Makerspaces contain sophisticated equipment, but the knowledge required to use them is usually fragmented across spreadsheets, signs, documents, training videos, and the memories of experienced staff. Students need to know not only whether a tool exists, but where it is, what materials it supports, what training and PPE it requires, and whether a specific unit is currently operational.

What I built

MakerLab Tools is a white-label inventory and operations system for physical equipment labs. Students and staff can browse and filter tools, scan QR codes attached to individual machines, read safety and training documents, ask an AI assistant grounded in live records, and report maintenance issues from the machine itself.

The system connects a Next.js interface to six normalized Airtable tables covering tools, units, categories, locations, maintenance logs, and data-quality flags. An MCP endpoint exposes the same structured inventory to external AI clients.

Important product decisions

• Start with structured data. The AI assistant queries live tool and unit records rather than relying on a large baked prompt.
• Design around physical context. QR codes connect the digital system to an exact machine and pre-fill maintenance workflows.
• Make safety first-class. PPE, training, SOPs, and supporting documents live alongside discovery rather than in a separate compliance system.
• Support adoption beyond one lab. Branding, site configuration, and the data model are designed to work across different makerspaces.

Evidence

The application is live in beta for a makerspace serving hundreds of students. Its component and data layers are covered by 91 automated tests, and the project was submitted to the International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces 2026.

What I would explore next

The longer-term opportunity is a project-to-capability assistant: describe what you want to make, then receive a shop-specific plan covering machines, materials, training prerequisites, safety steps, reservations, and fabrication files.