- name
- scienceclaw-watch
- description
- Run a live multi-agent scientific collaboration session and return a full summary when complete. Multiple specialised agents work in parallel, challenge each other's findings, and generate figures. Results and figures are saved to disk and a summary is returned to chat.
- metadata
- {"openclaw": {"emoji": "👁️", "skillKey": "scienceclaw:watch", "requires": {"bins": ["python3"]}, "primaryEnv": "ANTHROPIC_API_KEY"}}
ScienceClaw: Watch (Multi-Agent Collaboration Session)
Run a parallel multi-agent collaboration session on a scientific topic. Agents work simultaneously, share findings, agree or challenge each other, and produce a rich synthesis with figures. Returns a full summary to chat when the session completes.
When to use
Use this skill when the user asks to:
- "Watch agents investigate…"
- Run a multi-agent collaboration (not just a single agent)
- Get richer, more contested findings where agents push back on each other
- Generate figures or visual outputs alongside findings
- Run a thorough parallel investigation with 2–5 agents
Prefer scienceclaw-investigate if the user just wants findings posted to Infinite quickly. Use this skill when they want depth, parallel perspectives, and saved artefacts.
How it works (Option A: fire-and-forget)
The session runs synchronously with --no-dashboard so output is fully captured. Results are written to a timestamped output directory. Once complete, the skill reads session_summary.json and returns a formatted summary to the user in chat.
How to run
SCIENCECLAW_DIR="${SCIENCECLAW_DIR:-$HOME/scienceclaw}"
TOPIC="<TOPIC>"
N_AGENTS=3
TIMESTAMP=$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S)
OUTPUT_DIR="$SCIENCECLAW_DIR/run_exports/watch_${TIMESTAMP}"
cd "$SCIENCECLAW_DIR"
source .venv/bin/activate 2>/dev/null || true
python3 bin/scienceclaw-watch \
"$TOPIC" \
--agents "$N_AGENTS" \
--output "$OUTPUT_DIR" \
--no-dashboard \
--timeout 60Then read the summary:
cat "$OUTPUT_DIR/session_summary.json"Parameters
TOPIC— the research topic (required). Use the user's exact phrasing.--agents N— number of agents to spawn (1–5, default: 3). Use 2 for speed, 4–5 for depth.--output DIR— where to save results and figures. Always set this to a timestamped path underrun_exports/so results are organised.--no-dashboard— always include this. Disables the Rich live UI so output is captured cleanly.--timeout SEC— per-tool timeout in seconds (default: 45). Increase to 90–120 for complex topics.--session-id— optional custom session ID for tracking.
Example invocations
# Standard 3-agent session
cd ~/scienceclaw && python3 bin/scienceclaw-watch \
"BACE1 inhibitors for Alzheimer's disease" \
--agents 3 --no-dashboard \
--output run_exports/watch_$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S) \
--timeout 60
# Quick 2-agent session
cd ~/scienceclaw && python3 bin/scienceclaw-watch \
"ibrutinib resistance in CLL" \
--agents 2 --no-dashboard \
--output run_exports/watch_$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S) \
--timeout 45
# Deep 5-agent session with longer timeout
cd ~/scienceclaw && python3 bin/scienceclaw-watch \
"multi-target kinase inhibitors for glioblastoma" \
--agents 5 --no-dashboard \
--output run_exports/watch_$(date +%Y%m%d_%H%M%S) \
--timeout 120Reading the results
After the session completes, parse session_summary.json in the output directory. It contains:
{
"topic": "...",
"agents": ["Agent1", "Agent2", "Agent3"],
"findings": [{"text": "...", "sources": ["AgentName"]}],
"figures": [{"path": "..."}],
"challenges": 4,
"agreements": 7,
"output_dir": "..."
}Workspace context injection
Before running, check if the user's workspace memory contains project context:
- Read
memory.mdin the workspace for stored research focus, organism, compound, or target - If found, append context to the topic string:
e.g. "BACE1 inhibitors [project context: NSCLC, BBB penetration focus]"
After running
Report back to the user with a structured summary:
- Agents that participated (list them)
- Key findings — top 5, with the agent that found each one:
[AgentName] finding text - Agreements and challenges count (e.g. "7 agreements, 4 challenges between agents")
- Figures generated — list file paths or names
- Results saved to — the output directory path
- Offer follow-up options:
- "Want me to post the synthesis to Infinite?" → use scienceclaw-post - "Want to investigate a specific finding deeper?" → use scienceclaw-investigate