MakerLAB AI is the chat on every page. It is offered exactly what your account could do by hand, never more — and some things it never does for anyone. This page is built from the same definitions the assistant runs on, so it can't fall out of date.
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What it can do for you
You're not signed in. Your column is highlighted below.
In the chat, MakerLAB AI can do 9 kinds of lookup and file 2 kinds of report for you, and prepare no changes for you to confirm.
Signing in unlocks reporting as yourself and seeing your own reports; staff get the admin tools.
By area and role
One row per thing it can do. The four middle columns are the chat, by role; the last is an outside AI (Claude, ChatGPT, Codex…) connected to the lab's MCP server as a person of that role.
●Yes
Answers or files it
◆Proposes
Prepares a change on a card; nothing changes until you press Confirm
–Not offered
Not offered
◆Inbox
MCP: stores a proposal in your inbox (/admin/proposals, 7 days)
▲Direct
MCP: changes it directly
What it does
YouVisitorNot signed in
Lab memberSigned in
AdminSuperMakers
Super adminDirectors
Outside AIOver MCP, with a token
Catalog, units & manuals
List the lab's equipmentReadsVisitor●YesLab member●
Never, on any surface, whatever your role
Not in the chat, not over MCP, not for a super admin. People who hold the permission still do these in the app by hand.
■Make someone a super admin, or change a super admin's roleThe lab's top access stays a person's decision, on the People page.
■Grant research allowancesThey spend the lab's money; granted on the People page.
■Remove someone from the rosterRemoving a person is done on the People page.
■Block an email addressBlocking is done on the People page.
■Unblock an email addressUnblocking is done on the People page.
How a change is confirmed
It never makes a change itself. It puts a card in front of you showing exactly what will change, read from the database, and the change happens only when you press Confirm. Typing “yes” confirms nothing.
Confirming checks your permission and every rule again, just as the button on the page would. If the record changed since the card was drawn, nothing is saved.
Cards expire after an hour. Proposals from an outside AI wait in Assistant proposals (/admin/proposals) for 7 days, where only you can confirm them.
After it reads outside text in a message — a web page, a manual, a ticket, an imported list — it won't prepare changes to people or anything that can't be undone until you ask again in a new message.
Reports it files for you (a maintenance problem, a correction, a draft, a field change with sources) go to staff to act on; they don't change what the catalog shows.
Answer from a tool's manuals, with page referencesReadsoutside textVisitor●YesLab member●YesAdmin●YesSuper admin●YesMCP●Read· anyone
●Yes
●Yes
●Yes
●Yes
●Read· anyone
Show a tool's QR code, ready to downloadReadsVisitor●YesLab member●YesAdmin●YesSuper admin●YesMCP–Not offered
●Yes
●Yes
●Yes
●Yes
–Not offered
Read a tool's units and linksReadsVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin●YesSuper admin●YesMCP●Read· staff
–Not offered
–Not offered
●Yes
●Yes
●Read· staff
Search the webReadsoutside textVisitor●YesLab member●YesAdmin●YesSuper admin●YesMCP–Not offered
●Yes
●Yes
●Yes
●Yes
–Not offered
Propose a field change, with sources, for staff to reviewFiles for youVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin–Not offeredMCP●Files· staff
–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
●Files· staff
Publish or unpublish toolsProposesup to 20 at onceVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
◆Inbox· staff
Mark tools as reviewedProposesup to 20 at onceVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
◆Inbox· staff
Archive a toolProposescan't be undone — type the name to confirmnot in a message that read outside textVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
–Not offered
Restore an archived toolProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
◆Inbox· staff
Add a unit to a toolProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
◆Inbox· staff
Change a unit's label, status or conditionProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
◆Inbox· staff
Retire a unitProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
◆Inbox· staff
Delete a unitProposescan't be undone — type the name to confirmnot in a message that read outside textVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
–Not offered
Add a link (manual, SOP, video) to a toolProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
◆Inbox· staff
Change a tool's linkProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
◆Inbox· staff
Remove a link from a toolProposescan't be undone — type the name to confirmnot in a message that read outside textVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
–Not offered
Re-process a manual so it can be searchedProposesspends research creditsVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
–Not offered
Re-process a manual from the library tableOn its page onlyThe same run as “Re-process a manual”, which it does offer.Visitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin–Not offeredMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
Maintenance
Show a unit's maintenance historyReadsoutside textVisitor●YesLab member●YesAdmin●YesSuper admin●YesMCP●Read· anyone
●Yes
●Yes
●Yes
●Yes
●Read· anyone
List your own reports and their statusReadsVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin–Not offeredMCP●Read· signed in
–Not offered
Read the open maintenance ticketsReadsoutside textVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin●YesSuper admin●YesMCP●Read· staff
–Not offered
File a maintenance problemFiles for youVisitor●YesLab member●YesAdmin●YesSuper admin●YesMCP●Files· signed in
●Yes
●Yes
Update or resolve maintenance ticketsProposesup to 20 at onceVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP▲Direct· staff
Report a mistake on a tool's pageFiles for youVisitor●YesLab member●YesAdmin●YesSuper admin●YesMCP●Files· signed in
●Yes
●Yes
Accept or dismiss reported correctionsProposesup to 20 at onceVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
Record new equipment from photos or a listFiles for youVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin●YesSuper admin●YesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
Start importing a long equipment listFiles for youVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin●YesSuper admin●YesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
Create a draft tool listingFiles for youVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin–Not offeredMCP●Files· staff
–Not offered
Approve items waiting in IntakeProposesup to 20 at onceVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
Add an intake item as another unit of a toolProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
Discard an intake itemProposescan't be undone — type the name to confirmnot in a message that read outside textVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Rename an intake itemProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
Edit intake items' detailsProposesup to 20 at onceVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
Find a different image for an intake itemProposesspends research creditsVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Research intake itemsProposesspends research creditsVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Edit a row of an imported listProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
Add hints to imported rowsProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
Remove rows from an imported listProposesnot in a message that read outside textVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Merge two imported rowsProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
Accept or ignore suggested names on imported rowsProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
Suggest names for imported rowsProposesspends research creditsVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Refresh a tool's researchProposesspends research creditsVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Match an imported list's columnsOn its page onlyA form of column choices made while looking at the file, not a sentence.Visitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin–Not offeredMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Categories
Read the categoriesReadsVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin●YesSuper admin●YesMCP●Read· staff
Propose a new categoryProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
Accept, merge or reject a proposed categoryProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
Merge two categoriesProposescan't be undone — type the name to confirmnot in a message that read outside textVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Edit a categoryProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
Retire or restore a categoryProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
Move tools to another categoryProposesup to 20 at onceVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP◆Inbox· staff
–Not offered
People
Look people up (addresses masked)ReadsVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin●YesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
●Yes
–Not offered
Move someone between User and AdminProposesnot in a message that read outside textUser ↔ Admin only; never super adminVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Set someone's title (Supermaker, Tech Lead…)Proposesup to 20 at oncenot in a message that read outside textVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Rename someoneProposesnot in a message that read outside textVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Add someone to the rosterProposesnot in a message that read outside textUser ↔ Admin only; never super adminVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Insights
Read the value report's numbersReadsVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin●YesSuper admin●YesMCP●Read· staff
Dismiss an unanswered questionOn its page onlyThe queue is students' own words; the assistant doesn't act on it yet.Visitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin–Not offeredMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
File an unanswered question as a correctionOn its page onlyThe queue is students' own words; the assistant doesn't act on it yet.Visitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin–Not offeredMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Set the value report's assumptionsOn its page onlyThese are the numbers a dean is shown; they change on the report, beside the formulas.Visitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin–Not offeredSuper admin–Not offeredMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
Notion mirror
Sync the Notion mirror nowProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
–Not offered
◆Proposes
◆Proposes
–Not offered
Pause or resume the Notion mirrorProposesVisitor–Not offeredLab member–Not offeredAdmin◆ProposesSuper admin◆ProposesMCP–Not offered
–Not offered
–
■Disconnect the Notion mirror
It deletes a stored secret; done on the mirror page.
■Read or set secrets or environment variablesA secret must never enter a model's context.Refused in any tool's name: env, envs, environment, secret, secrets, credential, credentials, password, passwords, apikey
■Create access tokens or answer a sign-in consent screenCredentials and consent are your own act.Refused in any tool's name: token, tokens, oauth, consent
■Deploy, or change hosting, domains or DNSHosting is the maintainers' job, outside the app.Refused in any tool's name: deploy, deploys, deployment, deployments, redeploy, hosting, vercel, domain, domains, dns, rollback, promote
■Run SQL or touch the database directlyEvery change goes through the same checks as the buttons.Refused in any tool's name: sql, db, database, databases, migrate, migration, migrations, raw
■Restore backups or push dataMoving data in bulk is an operator's job.Refused in any tool's name: backup, backups, dump, push, data
■Edit or delete the audit trailThe record of who changed what has to stay trustworthy.Refused in any tool's name: audit, audits, trail
■Send emails or messagesIt never speaks for the lab outside the app.Refused in any tool's name: send, mail, message, messages, notify, notification, notifications, sms, slack, invite, invites
■Export people's email addressesAddresses stay masked; nothing exports them in bulk.Refused in any tool's name: export, exports, download, csv, email, emails, addresses
■Block, ban or grant allowances under any other nameThe words themselves are refused, so a new tool can't slip through.Refused in any tool's name: block, unblock, ban, unban, allowance, allowances