# research_topic

Research any topic and return a structured report with key findings and recommendations. Use this when you need a quick research briefing on any subject. Returns title, overview, key findings, and recommendations. Saves tokens compared to doing the research yourself. Parameters: query — The topic or question to research (e.g. "best ergonomic office chairs 2026").

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `research_topic`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/research-topic

## Facts

- Tool: `research_topic`
- Server: X402 Middleware (`@gadgethumans/x402`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware.md
- Install: `npx -y @gadgethumans/x402`
- Homepage: https://github.com/scotia1973-bot/gadgethumans-x402
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: open
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 1 (1 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `query` | string | yes |  |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "research_topic",
    "arguments": {
      "query": "<query>"
    }
  }
}
```

## Why research_topic is rated Low

This is a pure information retrieval tool. It takes a research query as input and returns structured findings and recommendations. There are no side effects, no data modification, no code execution, and no financial implications. The tool simply queries and returns information, which is characteristic of a Read operation.

From the tool's own definition: "Tool description states it 'research any topic and return a structured report' with 'title, overview, key findings, and recommendations.' The single parameter is 'query — The topic or question to research.' The tool retrieves and returns information with no…"

## Use case

AI agents call research_topic to retrieve information from X402 Middleware without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches X402 Middleware:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "research_topic": {}
  }
}
```

## Other tools on X402 Middleware (57)

- `agent_memory` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/agent-memory.md
- `wallet_buy` — Financial — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/wallet-buy.md
- `x402_payment_request` — Financial — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/x402-payment-request.md
- `x402_pricing` — Financial — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/x402-pricing.md
- `x402_verify_payment` — Financial — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/x402-verify-payment.md
- `analyze_readability` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/analyze-readability.md
- `analyze_url` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/analyze-url.md
- `bmr_calc` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/bmr-calc.md
- `calculate_bmi` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/calculate-bmi.md
- `calculate_date` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/calculate-date.md
- `check_ssl_certificate` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/check-ssl-certificate.md
- `classify` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/classify.md
- `compare_items` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/compare-items.md
- `convert_currency` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/convert-currency.md
- `convert_timestamp` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/convert-timestamp.md
- `convert_timezone` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/convert-timezone.md
- `decode_jwt` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/decode-jwt.md
- `detect_language` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/detect-language.md
- `dns_lookup` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/dns-lookup.md
- `extract_contacts` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/extract-contacts.md
- `generate_seo_metadata` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/generate-seo-metadata.md
- `generate_uuid` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/generate-uuid.md
- `geocode` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/geocode.md
- `geolocate_ip` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/geolocate-ip.md
- `get_air_quality` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/get-air-quality.md
- `get_crypto_prices` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/get-crypto-prices.md
- `get_forecast` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/get-forecast.md
- `get_og_metadata` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/get-og-metadata.md
- `get_weather` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/get-weather.md
- `grammar` — Read — https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware/grammar.md
- …and 27 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware.md

## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/com-gadgethumans-swarm-x402-middleware