www.shelter-systems.com Shelter Systems' structures are both tensegrity and geodesic. We call them Geotensic ™. They have a highest strength-to-weight ratio for a dome tent make of the same materials.Shelter Systems' domes for the materials used are the strongest in the world. We could use other materials to make our domes stronger but they would be more expensive, harder to put up and in most cases be much heavier. We gain simplicity and strength by combining tensegrity and geodesic construction. Both Tensegrity and geodesics are confusing to build but by separating the tension and compression parts of the shelter. The continuous tension covering serves as a map for were the discontinuous poles go making for easy and quick assembly. The materials we use to make are domes has been chosen for their strength, durability and affordability. The structural technology used from the fasteners to join the materials together to the structural interactions of the materials maximize the strength to weight to cost ratio. Shelter Systems' structures are tensegrity structures because the poles are not attached to each other except by the tension of the covering (that is, the poles would not stand without the covering). They are geodesic structures because most of the poles and shape of the covering follow the shortest line on a sphere. Geotensic tm structures make possible the greatest strength to weight possible in a self supporting shelter.
A little history: Robert Gillis was studying tensegrity and geodesics while living in a large suspended tent at the University of Southern Illinois in the early 1970's. It became clear to him that there was a practical way to apply tensegrity to structure. The Geotensic tm tent structure above evolved from earlier tensegrity models like those below. The cable tension network was removed from outside of the structure and transferred to an inside in the form tensile covering. Thus was born Geotensic tm tent structures.