Month 10 at the AI Lab: From Photo to Physical Part with Michael McNeil
Notes from the October 22nd meetup. Michael McNeil introduced Autonomyware, which turns a picture of an object into a physical clone built to factory-grade tolerances. Plus, a look ahead to November's talk on AI and custom software for small business.
AI Builders Meetup: From Idea to 3D Prototype
On October 22nd, local tech entrepreneur and investor Michael McNeil joined us to share Autonomyware, a new AI 3D engineering product. Most of our meetups focus on software, so it was a welcome change to see AI applied to physical objects.
From a Photo to a Physical Part
The core idea behind Autonomyware feels like science fiction. You give the software a picture of an object, and it produces a physical clone of that object, made to factory-grade tolerances.
That last detail is what makes it practical. Plenty of tools can generate a 3D model that looks right. A part built to factory-grade tolerances is one you can actually install and rely on.
Repairing What Can't Be Replaced
My favorite part of the night was thinking through what this means for repair. Plenty of things worth keeping, like an old accordion or a classic car, end up sidelined because a single part is no longer manufactured. Today the options are usually to hunt down a used part or pay for custom fabrication. Autonomyware points to a simpler path: photograph the original part and make a new one.
It's a great example of AI solving a practical, everyday problem.
About Michael
Michael describes himself as a builder of companies, people, and technology. His career has moved from building technology, to building companies, to mentoring and leading others who are building companies of their own. He also brings years of experience setting up data centers and managing software teams.
Thanks to Michael for sharing his work with the group, and to everyone who came out.
Coming Up: AI and Custom Software for Small Business
On November 19th, Paul Spears, founder of Forgerite, will speak on how AI unlocks custom software for small businesses. Paul has spent years building enterprise systems and leading large-scale technology transformations.
Small businesses have long been underserved because modern software was too expensive, too slow, and too specialized to reach them. AI changes that. Through Forgerite, Paul pairs AI with real engineering experience to build the tools those businesses were previously locked out of.
The evening starts at 6:00 PM with networking, followed by an AI news round-up at 6:15 and Paul's talk at 6:45.