allows for the easy creation of curved shapes.

I've implemented two hand-made version of a Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) building system. The first using straws and pipe cleaners and the second using extruded aluminum wire, wire clips and bamboo. A logical next step is to design and develop easily manufacturable hubs and spokes at a number of scales. It is this stage that I would focus on should development funds become available.

I'm taking an open-source approach to the project. Instead of attempting to lock up a solution in patents I would make the system freely available for anyone to implement. I believe that a TIN building system will be actively embraced, explored and developed by the design community if patent and license issues are not a deterent.

So it will be an actively engaged community of component manufacturers and component users who rapidly explore the wide solution space opened up by this system. The Internet will play a crucial role in facilitating the rapid spread of information about available design solutions, sources of supplies, and developing innovative extensions to the basic system.

Buckminster Fuller took a massive step in developing non-rectilinear building systems. It's time to take another small step. Modern computers and and 3-D design software make it easy to create curved organic models based on triangulated irregular networks. A building system that makes it easy to construct analog version of these digital models is needed. I hope to play a role in the development of such a system.

I've developed and presented my ideas for low-cost TIN roofed structures on the Open Architecture Network site at this url:
http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/node/472

My 3-D design work is well represented on the Google SketchUp 3D-Warehouse at this url:
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/search?uq=10734499785635982121&scoring=d

I have a wiki/blog where I develop and document my design ideas here: http://dws.editme.com/

Finally, for the past 10 years I've been centrally involved with planning, implementing and running a 1-to-1 student laptop program at my school. This has been a massive transforming experience for the school and is in the process of significantly changing educational practices. My efforts in the early years of this revolutionary project are documented at the following site:

http://www.learningwithlaptops.org/

Thanks for considering this proposal.