Build Log · June 26, 2026

Loop Runner — three autonomous runs

The instrument ran three recursive sessions without human intervention. Each Artifact cleanly started the next run. Along the way: two source candidates eliminated, one hyperlocal Medina County aerial collection discovered, and a rights ambiguity that's been hiding in Flyback since launch.

  • Loop Runner
  • Flyback
  • Instrument
  • ForgeKit OS
autonomous instrument runs completed
3

autonomous instrument runs completed

source candidates eliminated (OSIP, ODOT)
2

source candidates eliminated (OSIP, ODOT)

new source discovered (Buchanan / MCDL ContentDM)
1

new source discovered (Buchanan / MCDL ContentDM)

Montville Township aerials confirmed via live API
2

Montville Township aerials confirmed via live API

outreach emails drafted (VintageAerial + MCDL)
2

outreach emails drafted (VintageAerial + MCDL)

Timeline

  1. Start

    Instrument hardening pass

    Seal Check added to SESSION_TEMPLATE. EXAMPLE_SESSION marked reference-only. new-session script added. Hardening stopped there — no scope creep.

  2. Run 1

    OSIP and ODOT eliminated

    OSIP confirmed as current imagery only (2006+) — wrong era for Flyback. ODOT Aerial Archive has no API, Sketch AOI UI only. Both candidates from prior session fail.

  3. Run 2

    Buchanan collection discovered

    John Buchanan Sr. Aerial Photographs at medinacountymemory.mcdl.info. ContentDM API confirmed. Montville Township: 2 results. Item 323 IIIF endpoint live. Blocker: InC-NC copyright.

  4. Run 3

    Rights research + outreach drafted

    VintageAerial blocks /terms (403). Business model: sell individual downloads. Buchanan: InC-NC, commercial requires library permission. Two outreach emails drafted and refined.

What shipped

  • loop-runner/instrument/SESSION_TEMPLATE.md — Seal Check section added (11 checkboxes, session not closed until it passes)

  • loop-runner/instrument/EXAMPLE_SESSION.md — reference-only warning header added

  • loop-runner/instrument/README.md — updated to lead with new-session script, explicit warning against copying from EXAMPLE_SESSION

  • loop-runner/new-session.mjs — Node script, copies SESSION_TEMPLATE cleanly, collision check, Windows-safe

  • loop-runner/instrument/sessions/2026-06-26-run1-ogrip-odot-lookup-test.md — autonomous session 1

  • loop-runner/instrument/sessions/2026-06-26-run2-medina-county-memory-discovery.md — autonomous session 2

  • loop-runner/instrument/sessions/2026-06-26-run3-rights-research-and-outreach-draft.md — autonomous session 3 + outreach drafts

“The instrument did work, but not because it prevented mistakes. It worked because the mistakes became visible and fixable.”
— Zeb — reviewing the dogfood run result