Oswego Inventor: Patrick Salsbury. a Californian whose family resides on the Hall Road In Scriba displays his 'Synergy Ball," a unique invention which employs the geometry of geodesic design. The invention Is tailored for use in the scientific and mathematics communities.

SCRIBA - Have you ever considered abandoning your present abode and opting for a cardboard home instead?

An Oswego native doesn't think it's that outlandish of an idea.

Patrick Salsbury, an Oswego-area native and resident of Boulder Creek. Calif., has invented a "Synergy Ball." a model which employs the geometry of geodesic design.

From the small California town which he now calls home. Salsbury developed the unique invention which is quickly gaining popularity among mathematics and science buffs.

Salsbury, a 1987 graduate of Oswego High School, majored in design at the University of Buffalo prior to his relocation to the Silicon Valley. Salsbury wanted to relocate to the Bay area of San Francisco because of its status as a technology and computer hotbed.

The Oswego native created a geodesic model, which uses the geometry of curved surfaces to form geodesic lines which take the place of straight lines of plane geometry.

Geodesic domes, such as the Epcot Center in Orlando, Fla., are light, domelike structures developed to combine the structurally desirable properties of the tetrahedron and the sphere. A tetrahedron is a triangular pyramid.

Salsbury's model, made of 30 small pieces of paper, can be built into the form of a mobile and displays the way in which geodesic design works in its simplest form.

Precut and prestamped, the model is easily built by the user. It's advertised for individuals ages 8 and up and retails for under $5.

Salsbury conducted research on geodesic domes in college.

"It's a type of architecture that requires very little material but builds strong buildings," Salsbury said. The Epcot Center's thin aluminum walls are probably stronger than concrete buildings, Salsbury said, due to geodesic construction.

The next step for Salsbury is to employ the same kind of idea lo construct geodesic houses out of cardboard

The concept is not new. Geodesic homes have been designed for use in Honduras and measure 25 feet wide and comprise 1,250 square feet. The cost is a mere $1,000. A plastic version is estimated to cost $1,500.

"It's designed to be inexpensive for Honduran villagers who have little money." Salsbury said.

The geodesic homes could he used for disaster relief, Salsbury added, by providing temporary housing.

Salsbury said a major advantage to this type of construction is the quick accessibility of cardboard.

"A cardboard press machine can produce 3,000 houses per day." he said A large manufacturer of standard homes matches that number in one year, he added.

Salsbury said a cardboard dome structure was built some years ago in Southern Illinois. "They let it sit in the rain and snow for one year and it was fine with no problems at all. It provides good insulation and keeps cool in the summer and holds a fair amount of heat in the winter," he said.

The Synergy Ball can be used as a decoration or as a demonstration model.

Salsbury said the primary market involves the scientific/educational community. It can also be used to demonstrate various uses for recyclable materials, he added.

"It can be bought by children and put together, or used in science or math classes. It shows that strength doesn't come solely from concrete," Salsbury said.

Design Science Toys, located in Tivoli, NY, is producing the invention. For more information, call 1-800-227-2316.

Back to The Synergy Ball Page.