People Are Using Claude for Wild Things Now (pt 2)

Summary

The video presents 15 examples of people using AI coding tools and agents to build practical devices, automate tasks, or create low-cost alternatives to existing products. The projects combine tools such as Claude Code, Codex, ChatGPT, and Grok with hardware, apps, and everyday systems.

Examples

1. Smart glasses for blind people: Khalifa, a young maker in Kano, Nigeria, built glasses with a camera and obstacle sensor. They alert the wearer with a buzz or alarm and can share their location with a caregiver. He is working on adding spoken AI descriptions of the wearer’s surroundings.

2. Diagnosing an old Jeep: After a 32-year-old Jeep repeatedly failed emissions tests, its owner used Claude and Codex to investigate the problem. The AI-assisted process identified an issue affecting fuel use at the test speed. The owner says the repair cost about $15 in parts, and the Jeep passed. A free step-by-step guide is also mentioned.

3. A safer Roblox-style game: A father made a game for his son that resembles a multiplayer lobby but uses recordings of the father playing and ChatGPT-generated chat responses instead of real players. The game also includes a letter-collecting activity to unlock levels.

4. Greenhouse automation for a farmer: Codex helped a farmer build a system that controls greenhouse vents through a chat app and can also open and close them automatically based on temperature. It helped with both the code and motor-wiring plans. The farmer hopes to add water-pump control.

5. An open-source Rocket Money alternative: The presenter built a personal-finance app with bank-account connections or manual entry, budgeting features, and future-planning tools. It can use local AI models, with an emphasis on privacy and user control. The presenter points viewers to a free project.

6. An AI agent negotiating a Comcast bill: Peter Young used a Grok-based agent to call Comcast and negotiate for a lower price and faster internet by citing a competitor’s offer. The call reportedly used about 3% of his Grok allowance. The presenter notes that some commenters said Comcast was hanging up on AI agents.

7. A physical status light for an AI agent: A $5 toy traffic light was modified with a small circuit board and a 3D-printed back. Its colors indicate whether an AI agent is busy (red), needs input (yellow), or is finished (green).

8. Checking an Airbnb for cameras and trackers: A Claude Code project scans Wi-Fi devices, looks for devices transmitting video, and checks for Bluetooth trackers. In the example, it identified a smoke detector that was actually a network camera. The presenter describes the idea as potentially useful but unsettling.

9. Automatic garden watering: A soil sensor activates a valve when the ground is dry and shuts it off once the soil is sufficiently wet. The system uses a rainwater barrel, reportedly runs for about three months on a 9-volt battery, and includes 3D-printed parts.

10. A family-planning digital frame: Claire modified an inexpensive digital photo frame containing an Android tablet. After using Codex to unlock and customize it, she made a family dashboard showing schedules, photos, children’s checklists, nap times, chores, and school holidays. The AI updates it three times a day based on the family calendar. A related project is also mentioned.

11. Using an iPad camera to estimate pulse: Codex processed video of a hand to track subtle color changes associated with blood flow. It selected points on the palm, compensated for movement and lighting, and filtered out compression artifacts that could resemble a false heartbeat. The video describes it as a basic camera-based alternative to some smartwatch measurements.

12. A customized TV interface: Someone used Claude Code to remove ads and unnecessary software from a TV and add a drawing board for leaving messages for their spouse.

13. A free child-tracking app: Adam and his wife built an app to log their daughter’s nutrition, sleep, and diaper information after their previous app became paid. They released a first version in a day, made it free, and say it is available in the App Store. It supports logging from both parents’ phones and importing data from other apps.

14. AI reviewing ultrasound images: A mother expecting identical twins used ChatGPT to examine scans after a doctor said there was no membrane between the babies. The video says ChatGPT drew attention to a faint line, and the doctor later acknowledged an error. The mother transferred clinics and had a healthy pregnancy. The presenter explicitly cautions that AI should not replace doctors.

15. A beach-cleaning robot: A maker used Codex to build a 3D-printed robot with sand tracks, a gripping arm, and a trash container. Assembly instructions and parts are available online. In its first beach test, the robot handled wet sand and small dunes, though it got stuck on some. Compressed air is used to remove sand from it.

Themes and Sources

The presenter frames these projects as examples of AI helping people address real needs, including accessibility, farming, family organization, and household costs. Free, step-by-step NextWork projects are mentioned for some builds, including the Jeep repair, greenhouse system, family frame, and child-tracking app.

The main speaker is the video’s presenter from NextWork, who narrates the examples and says they built the open-source finance app. The projects are attributed to Khalifa, Peter Young, Claire, Adam and his wife, and other individual makers featured in the video.