# Use cases — what people actually ask their AI to do > Real prompts people give Aster: free up storage, find duplicate photos, read notifications, call someone and speak a message, auto-reply while driving. Aster here is the open-source Model Context Protocol server and Android companion app for AI-driven phone control, published on npm as aster-mcp. It is unrelated to Aster DM Healthcare, Aster Data Systems or the ASTER instrument on NASA’s Terra satellite. Source: https://aster.matterwardlabs.com/use-cases/ · Part of Aster (https://github.com/satyajiit/aster-mcp) · Last generated 2026-09-13 Aster is an open-source Model Context Protocol server plus an Android companion app: it gives an AI client such as Claude Code, OpenClaw or MoltBot 49 tools, all named `aster_*`, for reading and driving a phone on Android 8.0+ (API 26) — no root, no cloud account. The 21 prompts below are real things people ask it for, each one listing the exact tools that run. The prompts are real. The replies are illustrative — counts, file sizes, place names and flight numbers are written as examples, not measured, and are not product statistics. Tool names are exact. Each entry is a prompt someone gives their assistant, the Aster tools that run, and what comes back. ## Find the duplicate photos on my phone and show me which ones to delete - **Tools used:** `aster_search_media`, `aster_index_media_metadata` - **Category:** Photos & media - **Result (illustrative):** Indexed the media library and compared metadata. There are 47 duplicate sets across 2,104 photos. I can show you each set side by side before anything is removed. ## Show me the photos I took in Goa last December - **Tools used:** `aster_search_media` - **Category:** Photos & media - **Result (illustrative):** 83 photos from December carry a location near Goa, including 12 beach shots and 6 sunset panoramas. Want them pulled onto this machine? ## Find the screenshots I took this week and bin the blurry ones - **Tools used:** `aster_search_media`, `aster_delete_file` - **Category:** Photos & media - **Result (illustrative):** 23 screenshots from the last seven days. Five look blurry or unreadable. Say the word and they go; the rest stay untouched. ## Set an alarm for 10 AM tomorrow for the standup - **Tools used:** `aster_set_alarm`, `aster_post_notification` - **Category:** Reminders & alerts - **Result (illustrative):** Alarm set on the device for 10:00, labelled Standup. I also posted a notification so it is visible on the lock screen tonight. ## Buzz my phone — I can't find it under the couch - **Tools used:** `aster_set_volume`, `aster_play_audio`, `aster_vibrate`, `aster_stop_audio` - **Category:** Reminders & alerts - **Result (illustrative):** Turning the ringer up, playing a tone and vibrating in a strong three-pulse pattern. Follow the sound; I will keep it going until you tell me to stop. ## Read my unread notifications and tell me if anything is urgent - **Tools used:** `aster_read_notifications` - **Category:** Reminders & alerts - **Result (illustrative):** 14 waiting. Two from Slack flagged urgent, one missed call from Mum, and the rest are promotions. Want the two Slack threads summarised? ## Copy meeting-notes.pdf off my phone and onto this machine - **Tools used:** `aster_list_files`, `aster_read_file` - **Category:** Files & cleanup - **Result (illustrative):** Found meeting-notes.pdf in Downloads, 2.3 MB, modified on Tuesday. Reading it off the device now so it lands in your working folder. ## I'm out of storage — find what is eating the space - **Tools used:** `aster_analyze_storage`, `aster_find_large_files` - **Category:** Files & cleanup - **Result (illustrative):** WhatsApp media 8.2 GB, cached data 3.1 GB, leftover installers 1.4 GB. The installers are the easy win. Shall I start there? ## Delete the downloaded PDFs older than six months - **Tools used:** `aster_list_files`, `aster_delete_file` - **Category:** Files & cleanup - **Result (illustrative):** 34 PDFs in Downloads have not been opened in six months, 890 MB between them. Here is the list — confirm and I will remove exactly those. ## Call Mum and tell her I'll be twenty minutes late - **Tools used:** `aster_search_contacts`, `aster_make_call_with_voice` - **Category:** Communication - **Result (illustrative):** Dialling now with the speaker on. When she picks up I will say your message out loud, then end the call and tell you how it went. ## Read the last text from the delivery driver and reply that I am home - **Tools used:** `aster_read_sms`, `aster_send_sms` - **Category:** Communication - **Result (illustrative):** Last message: "Package arriving between 2 and 4 PM." Reply sent: "Thanks, I will be home." Nothing else in the thread needs an answer. ## Put "Do not disturb, in a meeting" on my phone screen - **Tools used:** `aster_show_overlay`, `aster_set_volume` - **Category:** Communication - **Result (illustrative):** The notice is drawn over whatever is on screen and stays until you dismiss it. I dropped the ringer volume to match. ## What is on my phone screen right now? - **Tools used:** `aster_take_screenshot`, `aster_get_screen_hierarchy`, `aster_get_battery` - **Category:** Daily automations - **Result (illustrative):** A video app is in the foreground, playing a lo-fi mix. Battery is at 62% and Wi-Fi is connected. Screenshot attached if you want to see it. ## What is my battery at? Should I charge before heading out? - **Tools used:** `aster_get_battery`, `aster_get_device_info` - **Category:** Daily automations - **Result (illustrative):** 34% and not charging. At the rate it is draining that is roughly two hours. Worth a top-up before you leave. ## Open Maps and search for the nearest coffee shop - **Tools used:** `aster_launch_intent`, `aster_click_by_text`, `aster_input_text`, `aster_get_screen_hierarchy` - **Category:** Daily automations - **Result (illustrative):** Launched Maps, tapped the search field, typed "coffee shop near me" and submitted. Three results within a ten-minute walk. ## Dog is home alone — check on him every half hour and send me the photo - **Tools used:** `aster_take_photo`, `aster_send_sms` - **Category:** Proactive monitoring - **Result (illustrative):** I am holding the half-hour schedule on my side. Each time it comes round I ask the phone for a camera shot and text it to you. Aster itself runs nothing on a timer. ## While I am driving, tell anyone who texts that I will call back - **Tools used:** `aster_read_sms`, `aster_send_sms` - **Category:** Proactive monitoring - **Result (illustrative):** I will keep checking the inbox while drive mode is on. Alex asked "Are you free?" — answered with "Driving right now, will call you back in twenty minutes." ## When the delivery app says the rider is near, announce it out loud - **Tools used:** `aster_read_notifications`, `aster_set_volume`, `aster_speak_tts` - **Category:** Proactive monitoring - **Result (illustrative):** Spotted the notification — "Your rider is 1 minute away" — turned the media volume up and had the phone say it on the speaker. ## Ring me if my flight is delayed, and tell me the new time - **Tools used:** `aster_read_notifications`, `aster_make_call_with_voice` - **Category:** AI-owned phone - **Result (illustrative):** I am watching the airline app on my own phone and checking in on it periodically. AI-302 has slipped 45 minutes, so I am calling your number to say so. ## If the doorbell app goes off, record five seconds and send it to me - **Tools used:** `aster_read_notifications`, `aster_record_video`, `aster_send_sms` - **Category:** AI-owned phone - **Result (illustrative):** Doorbell notification picked up on the spare phone. Recorded a five-second clip from the camera and texted it to you. ## Leave the spare phone in the nursery and text me a photo check every twenty minutes - **Tools used:** `aster_take_photo`, `aster_send_sms` - **Category:** AI-owned phone - **Result (illustrative):** I hold the twenty-minute schedule. Each round I ask for a still from the camera and text it over. Aster has no microphone permission and no audio-capture tool, so nothing in the room is being listened to.