Linx, an ingenious construction game developed by New York-based artist Patrick Martinez, has been successfully funded on Kickstarter, achieving $31,435 of its $30,000 goal. The simple construction game springs from a single connecting piece, which, combined with plastic standard drinking straws, allow construction of myriad structures, ranging from table-top to room-size. According to Martinez, "Linx is portable, less expensive than anything else around, and ultra light weight, so that even if your mammoth construction falls, no one gets hurt."

The connectors — produced in "kid-friendly, recycled" plastic — come in flat grids which easily snap apart, intersect, and lock into place to create a three dimensional star shape to allow for more complex structures. They are designed to accommodate most standard straws. By cutting, bending, or using multiple colors of straws, the possibilities are endless. You can make highly organized geometric structures, or free-form tangles. Martinez further notes that the game inspires creativity, giving children an opportunity to develop their motor and spatial skills through hands-on play.

The project is being developed in collaboration with designer Tom Gerhardt. Now that the campaign has been successful, Martinez points out that "one of our first goals will be to get Linx in the hands of teachers and physical therapists."