An inflatable habitat using inflatable structures and necessary accessories offers secure permanent human settlement in an environment such as Mars with an air pressure below the earth's atmospheric pressure. Built upon a crater, the inflatable structure comprises various resilient multilayer roof segments integrated with segment frames to contain extreme internal inflation pressures to provide habitability, maintenance of thermal environment, and low-cost manufacturability using local resources. The roof of the inflatable structure is firmly secured along a rim and a floor of the crater through a wall anchor system and a dual internal roof anchor system to provide a durable structure against hostile weather conditions. A “smart design” using the wall anchor system allows the installation of an outer roof in parallel to the existing roof. Further, a magnetic radiation shield generated through roof power elements externally encloses the roof to facilitate optimal active protection against solar and/or cosmic radiations.

A novel workstation which incorporates an acoustical dome for increased acoustic and visual privacy for the user. The workstation further is adjustable in height such that it can accommodate a range of users from the 5.sup.th percentile seated female to the 95.sup.th percentile standing male according to the dictates of ANSI/HFES100-2007 national ergonomic standard. The workstation is further designed to be in electrical and data communication with other workstations to optimize the workstation density in an open working environment without compromising user privacy.

A modular wall structure can include a first modular unit having a first face defined by a first perimeter and a second modular unit having a second face defined by a second perimeter. The first modular unit can be operably and selectively coupled to the second modular unit. Base units can be provided to support the first and second modular units.

A portable theater includes a plurality of individual panels assembled together to form a theater enclosure, a plurality of audience seats installed within the assembled theater enclosure, and a projection screen mounted within the assembled theater enclosure. The projection screen has a partial toroidal shaped reflective surface configured to reflect, toward the plurality of audience seats, a moving image as projected by a projector.

Disclosed is a method for producing a plate, wherein liquid, ultra-high-strength concrete is introduced into a formwork, which delimits a cavity, the cavity consisting of a first, flat region and a second, flat region adjoining the first region, the first and second regions having the same depth and being inclined with respect to one another at a bend angle of 120° to 170°. The concrete is introduced, in particular pumped, into the formwork from the bottom, rises in the formwork and hardens in the formwork in the shape of a bent plate.

Method of manufacturing a dome comprising: providing a plurality of components; joining a first and a second component together, joining the first and second components together comprising: positioning the first component and the second component in an initial position in which the first surfaces of components are angled from each other by a first angle; melting a volume of material extending between the first and the second component, the volume of material increasing in thickness from the second surfaces to the first surfaces; and the volume of material cooling and solidifying so as to join the first component and the second component together, the cooling of the volume of material reducing the angle between the first surfaces to a second angle less than the first angle such that the first surfaces face towards a centre of the dome and the first and second components form part of the dome.

Wall systems and buildings having such wall systems are disclosed. Such wall systems include parametric mullions each of which is constructed from a plurality of interconnecting components so that the wall systems may be disposed much closer to the building frame than conventional wall systems. Such wall systems may include panels disposed to form convex or concave facades. Such wall systems may also include decorative features superimposed over one or more panels or extending outward from the facade surface. The parametric mullions may be formed into trusses which may be used as part of a wall system or independently of such wall systems.

A novel workstation which incorporates an acoustical dome for increased acoustic and visual privacy for the user. The workstation further is adjustable in height such that it can accommodate a range of users from the 5.sup.th percentile seated female to the 95.sup.th percentile standing male according to the dictates of ANSI/HFES100-2007 national ergonomic standard. The workstation is further designed to be in electrical and data communication with other workstations to optimize the workstation density in an open working environment without compromising user privacy.

Arch structure defining equidistant points along a radial curve and comprising uniformly-sized, standard stock, elongated rectangular cross-section stringer members, uniformly-sized, standard stock, elongated rectangular cross-section arch members each having a midpoint and first and second angled ends of equal but opposing to one another angular magnitude, each arch member adapted to converge crossways on and completely abut a side surface of two non-adjacently positioned stringer members, each of the arch members further being adapted for undergirding a stringer member located between two non-adjacently positioned stringer members at the mid-point of the arch member, each arch member adapted for being oriented in scissor-like crossing relationship to another arch member, a plurality of fasteners, and where needed at least one tensioning member preferably attached between end stringer members, or alternatively between foundation members, the tensioning members and fasteners making the arch structure fortified to be as if monolithic.

A manipulator configured for transferring a block having a core, the manipulator includes an end effector including an elongated member including a tip; and a resilient member configured for assuming a first state in which the resilient member has a first hardness and first size and a second state in which the resilient member is configured for assuming a second state in which the resilient member has a second hardness and second size, the resilient member is disposed on the tip, wherein the elongated member is configured to be disposed such that the tip is disposed within the core and the resilient member is disposed in the first state before the resilient member is disposed in the second state to engage the core and the elongated member is moved to transfer the block.