<p>Just looking briefly through the patent database, I don’t see anything that looks similar to what I’ve done, but I want to add that it may be a bit less incredible than I originally portrayed it…it’s basically a way of allowing the house to move with the earthquake (but less jarringly so), by putting a buffer between it and the ground. I really don’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a patent that won’t really get me anywhere, but is that my only real option? Do there happen to be any competitions that care more about concept than intricacy?</p>
<p>Oh, and PS I do have a research book, it was one of the requirements for the science fair project.</p>