How every build is documented
Problem
What repetitive or expensive task exists?
Prototype
What was built and with which models/tools?
Measurement
What changed versus baseline?
Limitations
Where can it fail and what requires human review?
ShieldedID — zero-knowledge identity protocol
Open-source, zero-knowledge identity protocol. Prove who you are, or just that you're over 18 or KYC-verified, without handing over a passport, address or date of birth to a third party.
Problem
Digital identity is broken: organisations collect scans of passports and personal data they don't need, creating honeypot databases and breach risk.
Prototype
Zero-knowledge proofs (Bulletproofs) running in WASM on-device. Pairwise subject IDs so users can't be tracked across services. Apache 2.0, self-hostable, no blockchain required, no trusted setup.
Measurement
Project-reported: 365+ tests, 91% coverage (internal test suite). No PII stored by design. These are internal results, not independent certification.
Limitations
Adoption depends on verifier integration and trust frameworks. Not a substitute for legal identity assurance where that is required. Human review still needed for consequential decisions. No independent security audit or certification is claimed here.
Status: open source, in active development
v1.5.0, Apache 2.0. Test counts and coverage are project-reported (internal), not independently verified. Relevant to age verification (Online Safety Act) and the UK digital identity trust framework, but any production use should follow your own security review and due diligence. View on GitHub →
STCL — Semantic Token Compression Layer
Intelligent, provider-agnostic semantic token compression. Reduces LLM input token usage by ~38.2% on average (up to 59.4%) while preserving meaning. Open source, in active development.
Problem
LLM API costs scale with input tokens. Most teams pay for redundant, low-information content in every prompt.
Prototype
A pre-inference semantic compression layer, not a tokenizer. Runs before the LLM, so no model changes or retraining. Works with OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Mistral and Groq. TypeScript, Node 18+, Docker-ready.
Measurement
Project-reported: average input reduction 38.2%, best case 59.4%. Latency overhead ~3.5ms. 74/74 internal tests passing. Deterministic and auditable.
Limitations
Compression is lossy by design; quality depends on content type. Always validate compressed output for consequential use. Human review still required for high-stakes decisions. Figures are project-reported, not independently benchmarked.
Status: open source, in active development
MIT licensed. Performance figures are project-reported (internal), not independently benchmarked. View on GitHub →
UnitedLines — encrypted social network
A censorship-resistant social network built for free expression. Signal-grade encryption, transparent moderation, no ads and no tracking. Installable as a PWA.
Problem
Mainstream platforms combine surveillance economics with opaque, silent moderation. Users get no privacy and no visibility into how their content is treated.
Prototype
An encrypted social network (PWA) with signal-grade end-to-end encrypted DMs, a client-side encrypted file vault, a public append-only moderation ledger, and reputation/credibility signals to counter sockpuppetry.
Measurement
Live at unitedlines.co.uk. No ads, no tracking, private by design. Some features are intentionally visible only to registered members.
Limitations
Encryption and censorship-resistance are technical properties, not guarantees of content quality. Moderation is transparent but still requires human judgement. Adoption depends on network effects.
Status: live
Live at unitedlines.co.uk. Source repository is private; access is by invitation.
What's next in the lab
The lab prioritises small, useful tools that save a Scottish business real time over grand presentations with no deployable result.
AI Workflow Audit
Process map, ranked opportunities, risk/data check and an ROI test plan for one bounded workflow.
AI Implementation Sprint
One prototype workflow with SOP, human review and a measurement plan.
Team AI Briefing
A tailored practical session for a Scottish team, not a generic keynote.