diff --git a/gtsam/base/concepts.h b/gtsam/base/concepts.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..05d7e378b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gtsam/base/concepts.h
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/*
+ * concepts.h
+ *
+ *  Created on: Dec 4, 2014
+ *      Author: mike bosse
+ */
+
+#ifndef CONCEPTS_H_
+#define CONCEPTS_H_
+
+#include "manifold.h"
+#include "chart.h"
+
+namespace gtsam {
+
+namespace traits {
+
+template <class Manifold>
+struct TangentVector {
+  typedef Eigen::VectorXd type;
+};
+
+template <class Chart>
+struct Manifold {
+  typedef Chart::value_type type;
+};
+
+} // namespace traits
+
+template<class T>
+class ManifoldConcept {
+ public:
+  typedef T Manifold;
+  typedef traits::TangentVector<T>::type TangentVector;
+  typedef traits::DefaultChart<T> DefaultChart;
+  static const size_t dim = traits::dimension<T>::value;
+
+  BOOST_CONCEPT_USAGE(ManifoldConcept) {
+
+    // assignable
+    T t2 = t;
+
+    TangentVector v;
+    BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(TangentVector::SizeAtCompileTime == dim);
+
+  }
+ private:
+  Manifold p;
+};
+
+template<class C>
+class ChartConcept {
+ public:
+  typedef C Chart;
+  typedef typename traits::Manifold<Chart>::type Manifold;
+  typedef typename traits::TangentVector<Manifold>::type TangentVector;
+
+  BOOST_CONCEPT_USAGE(ChartConcept) {
+    v = Chart::local(p,q); // returns local coordinates of q w.r.t. origin p
+    q = Chart::retract(p,v); // returns retracted update of p with v
+  }
+
+ private:
+  Manifold p,q;
+  TangentVector v;
+
+};
+
+} // namespace gtsam
+
+#endif /* CONCEPTS_H_ */