The Cryptid Field Office: an AI triages sightings, a person signs off
This is a submission for the Sanity Challenge, Path Two: Vibe-Code Something Strange What I Built The Cryptid Field Office : a deadpan government bureau that takes every unexplained sighting seriously. Cryptids, lights over the desert, a figure on the stairs, a jinn in the storeroom, a lodge that is on no property register. You file a report. An AI Field Investigator reads it, scores it and…
The Cryptid Field Office is a government bureau that treats every unexplained sighting with equal gravity. From cryptids to lights over the desert, figures on stairs, jinn in storerooms, lodges with no property register, and beyond, citizens file reports. An AI Field Investigator evaluates each report, assigns a score dictating its next destination. A human sign-off is required for anything unclear. Upon conclusion, every case is stamped: CLASSIFIED, DEBUNKED, or INCONCLUSIVE.
On the surface, the Cryptid Field Office appears whimsical, yet beneath lies a serious, streamlined process: public intake, AI screening, linking related reports, human decision-making, and an audit trail. Replace cryptids with potholes and you have a city 311 system, or with bugs, insurance claims, and fraud review. The core concept is simple: dealing with the strange through structured processes.
The project comprises three parts on the Sanity content lake: public site, case map and files, and the Director's Desk. The public site (built with Next.js) features a four-step report form, live triage confirmation, and a Director's Desk offering an overview of ongoing cases. Anyone can access the site without logging in.
Case Board, powered by Sanity App SDK, presents a corkboard-style interface. Users can drag case photos, connect related cases with red pins, and approve or deny AI-suggested links, all contributing to a single audit trail. Bureau staff utilize the Studio, where they can customize their workspace with status badges, location pickers, and a map location picker.
The project's most significant achievement is ensuring consistent workflow actions for both AI and human involvement. Whether triaging or approving a case, the process remains identical for all participants. This consistency creates a seamless experience and reinforces the bureau's credibility.
Written by urgent.news from Dev.to's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
