| name | generate-mockups |
| description | Generate visual mockups of the finished hardware project using fal.ai's nano-banana (Gemini 2.5 image) model. Useful for early-stage visualisation, communicating intent to collaborators, or scoping enclosure design before any parts arrive. |
Generate Mockups
Produce AI-generated mockup images of a project from its written spec.
Prerequisites
- The fal.ai MCP server is available (
mcp__*__fal__run_model or equivalent), or the user has a FAL_KEY and we can call the HTTP API directly.
- A project with
spec.md exists.
Flow
- Build the prompt from
spec.md. Include:
- Form factor (handheld / desk-mounted / wall-mounted / outdoor enclosure / wearable).
- Key visible elements (display, buttons, sensors poking out, antennas, LEDs, connectors).
- Material / finish hint (3D-printed PLA, machined aluminium, laser-cut acrylic, custom PCB visible).
- Style hint (clean product render, exploded view, lifestyle shot, technical schematic-style).
- Negative prompt — no text overlays, no logos, no people unless requested.
- Pick the model — default to
fal-ai/nano-banana (text-to-image). For variations of an existing image, use fal-ai/nano-banana/edit. Both are fast and cheap, suitable for rapid iteration.
- Generate 2–4 candidates in parallel with slight prompt variations (different angles or styles) so the user has options.
- Save the images to
<projects_dir>/<slug>/mockups/ with names like mockup-<timestamp>-<variant>.png. Save the prompt used alongside in mockups/prompts.md so the user can iterate.
Output
- Files written to
<projects_dir>/<slug>/mockups/.
- A summary line in the conversation showing each saved file and the variant description.
Iteration
If the user wants tweaks ("make it smaller", "show it mounted on a wall", "battery should be visible"), use fal-ai/nano-banana/edit with the previous best image as input rather than starting from scratch — preserves the bits that worked.
Caveats
- Mockups are illustrative, not engineering drawings. Don't claim dimensional accuracy. They're for communication / inspiration, not fabrication.
- The model will sometimes invent components that aren't in the BOM. Note any discrepancies for the user when presenting candidates.
