CatalystLab: AI-Powered Research Brainstorming and Parallel Literature Discovery Platform

Resource information

Format

zip

Original repository

19362937

DOI

10.5281/zenodo.19362937

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Creators in Zenodo record metadata

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Open files available from the original Zenodo deposit

Last checked

Nov 5, 2026

License

mit-license

Last record update

Nov 5, 2026

About this resource

Overview CatalystLab is a comprehensive Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform designed to accelerate academic research through artificial intelligence–driven ideation, literature discovery, and research planning. This release (v1.3.7) represents a production‑ready implementation of an integrated research support ecosystem that does two things simultaneously: Think - 20 structured AI brainstorming instruments help researchers pressure‑test ideas, find contradictions, explore assumptions, generate hypotheses, and discover research gaps. Discover - Every instrument run automatically extracts research concepts and searches nine free academic databases in parallel, surfacing relevant literature without extra effort. "Nothing like this exists in any research tool I've used." Technical Architecture Frontend Framework : Next.js 14 (App Router) with TypeScript AI Integration : Google Gemini 2.5 Flash API Authentication : Firebase Authentication (Google OAuth, GitHub OAuth, email magic links) Database : Cloud Firestore Hosting : Firebase App Hosting / Vercel Academic API Coverage : 250M+ scholarly articles across nine integrated databases Core Features 1. 20 Research Instruments (Three Thinking Zones) The platform provides specialized research support instruments across three cognitive zones: Zone A: Ideas Thought Collider : Crash two ideas to find the breakthrough at the intersection. Research Multiverse : Flip assumptions; explore parallel hypothesis universes. Concept Alchemy : Combine research concepts to discover unexpected reactions. The Oracle : Identifies the ten most important unanswered questions in your field. Socratic Engine : An AI that only asks questions; you find the answer. Constraints Game : Solve within radical limits – creativity loves constraints. Dream Board : Pin fragments; AI finds the emerging pattern. Thought Experiment : Build a hypothetical and see where it leads. Zone B: Analysis Pressure Chamber : How strong is your idea under adversarial stress? Contradiction Finder : Finds papers that disagree and gaps that need filling. Assumption Archaeology : Excavates the hidden assumptions beneath your research. Hypothesis Tournament : Five hypotheses enter; one survives. Signal vs Noise : Determines whether a trend is real or hype before you commit. Persona Swap : See your research through radically different eyes. Zone C: Discovery Temporal Telescope : See past, present, and three possible futures of your field. Mind Mesh : Your subconscious knowledge network, made visible. Analogical Lab : Your problem is already solved – in a different field. Frontier Map : Satellite view of the edge of your field’s knowledge. Living Review : A literature review that updates itself automatically. Emergence Engine : Submit one observation; watch a breakthrough emerge. 2. Parallel Literature Discovery (9 Academic Sources) Every instrument run triggers a parallel fan‑out search across nine free academic databases, with AI‑powered keyword extraction to build optimal search queries. Semantic Scholar - 200M+ papers, all disciplines (no API key required) OpenAlex - 250M+ works, fully open (no API key required) arXiv - 2.3M+ preprints (CS, Physics, Bio, Math, …) (no API key required) PubMed - 36M+ biomedical citations (no API key required) CORE - World’s largest open access collection (free key optional) Crossref - 150M+ works, strong on DOIs (no API key required) Europe PMC - 42M+ abstracts, 9M+ full text (no API key required) DOAJ - 9M+ fully op