Component One

Prepare a 200- to 300-word history about the National Critical Technology (NCT) technical application your team has selected to solve a local or national problem.

A centerboard is a retractable device (that turns on a pivot point) that is attached to a sailboat or any other type of large commercial ships. The centerboard is used to keep the boat on a straight track and from moving side to side. They predominately are used to counteract the force of the sail and provide stability for steering. Centerboards are different from keels in that keels are often fixed (though some are retractable) and are often made of heavy materials to provide ballast to stabilize the boat. A centerboard is a foil that converts lateral slipping of the boat into a lateral. This is required for sailboats to move in directions other than downwind, since the force of the sail is never closer than 90 degrees to the apparent wind. Since most sailboats are symmetric along their axis of motion, the lateral force can come from either side, which means that centerboard must use symmetric foil shapes so they will operate with equal efficiency on either tack.

Carbon fiber was initially discovered in the late 1800s by Thomas Edison when he was testing thousands of different materials to use as a filament in the light bulb, but its true abilities were still unknown. Near the end of World War II a chemical company called Union Carbide developed a carbonized (subjected to very high temperatures until it becomes 100% carbon) rayon cloth for the U. S. Air Force as a replacement for fiberglass in rocket nozzle exit cones and re-entry heat shields. Carbon fiber began its entry into common use in 1956 with the opening of the Parma Technical Center just outside of Cleveland. There Roger Bacon experimented with carbon arcs (similar to early light bulbs) in 1958. He found that small carbon stalactites formed on one of the electrodes; when a stalactite was broken open there were small flexible carbon �whiskers� embedded in the stalactite wall. These were amazingly flexible and resilient. His ideas were expanded upon further and manufacturing methods devised, streamlining the manufacturing process and cutting the cost more than tenfold.

Sonar is a system which emits sound waves and detects their echoes to read depth measurements and location of obstacles. It is used primarily in submarines, fishing, and communication at sea. One kind of sonar, active sonar, sends and receives sound waves and another kind is passive sonar which listens for sound waves and is used primarily for military purposes. A depth sounder or fish finder is one of the simplest sonar devices, sending a narrow pulse of sound. A side scan sonar device is the most sophisticated type of sonar device which employs a 180 degree field of view. A transponder is a device which picks up and responds to a signal. One of three types of transponders is a passive transponder. It allows a computer to identify an object and is used in credit cards. A simple active transponder employs many navigation systems and is used on commercial and private aircraft. Sophisticated transponders simultaneously send and receive multiple signals and are commonly used on spacecraft and satellites.

The sonar paragraph isn't really a history! It's more of a general description.

Cite three detailed examples of research done in the past 3 to 5 years which focused on the NCT technical application your team selected. Include:
   the funding agency,
   the principal investigator's name, and
   the institution where the research is or was being conducted.

Prior to finding our related grants, we would like to present three patents granted by the US Patent Office that directly support our product.

1. Retractable steering device for cargo barges that increases maneuverability by providing a pivot point or points when altering course by William B Rudolph (September 29, 1992) outlines a device that can be fitted to a compartment within a retrofitted barge hull, that can be withdrawn into the hull or lowered into position below the hull to act as a keel-type device to resist lateral planing in an unloaded barge tow, the device can be rotated to create optimal performance in the extended position.
2. Antiskid device for flat bottom boats by Earl R Jones (August 17, 1993) outlines a pair of pivotally attached fins that are hinged at the leading edge to the underside of a flat bottom boat, to allow them to pivot away from and clear underwater obstacles without being damaged, and can return to the lowered position after the obstacle has been cleared.
3. Slidable and impact reducing keel by Per Larsen (July 15, 2003) outlines a device that utilizes a tongue and groove connection to pivot a fin type device into a receiver within the ships hull. The fin device can also be adjusted to variable positions along the underside of the ships hull, to shift the vesels center of mass.

Gary R. Consolazio, Ph.D., Ph.D., an associate professor of civil and coastal engineering at the University of Florida, has conducted an in-depth experiment on the effects of barges crashing into bridges. He received $1 million dollars in grant money from the Florida Department of Transportation to conduct his research on the former St. George�s Island Causeway Bridge in Franklin County, Florida. Over a four-year time period, Dr. Consolazio�s designed his investigation. During the months of March through April, 2004, Dr. Consolazio�s team actually crashed a 151-foot long barge carrying 280-tons (4 trials) and 600-tons (8 trials) of cargo into the bridge�s pier. His research uncovered more accurate ways to test dynamic impact loads that will hopefully reduce the cost of future projects; and more importantly, make the calculations of pier strength more precise. This research came into focus when errant barges rammed into bridges and triggered major accidents yielding death and significant debt.

Principle investigators Robert Haddon, Peter Eklund, Eric Grulke, and Frank Derbyshire, professors at the University of Kentucky, have received funding from the National Science Foundation for their modern research of synthesizing carbon fibers, mainly utilizing natural resources as their source. The value of the grant totaled $6.7 million which was to include an Advanced Carbon Materials Center within UK where the research would be taking place. The goal of this reszrearch will yield in reduced prices for the production of carbon fibers and more environment-friendly methods of fabrication.

Explore, Fall 2004, Research at the University of Florida

The National Science Foundation, NASA, Department of Energy, Department of Defense and Army Research Office, USDA, Air Force Research Laboratory, South Carolina Space Grant, and our industrial partners funded Principle Investigator, Dr. Y.-P. Sun, alongside of other professionals, for his research at Clemson University analyzing mechanical and morphological characterization of polymer�carbon nanocomposites from functionalized carbon nanotubes. His research is necessary for the employment of our apparatus, having to take on strong forces from many directions of an unpredictable nature.

�Supported by the NSF Focused Research Group on Fullerene Nanotube Chemistry (DMR-0073046), the NSF Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (EEC-0118007), and the Robert A. Welch Foundation (C-0689). Support from NASA (NCC 9-77) for development of the HiPco method is also gratefully acknowledged. R.B.W. and S.M.B. are grateful to the NSF (grant CHE-9900417) and the Robert A. Welch Foundation (grant C-0807) for research Support.�

Based on the research your team has done, explain how the NCT application chosen has advanced scientific knowledge.

Carbon fiber is a light but extremely strong fiber which is a pyrolyzing (a transformation of a compound by heat) synthetic fiber, for example rayon, until it is fully charred. It is used for extremely high-strength composites. Throughout the discovery of what kind of uses this material or fiber can do scientist found multiple uses in everyday life and production. It goes from the very simple for example tennis racquet strings to the very mundane like X-ray shielding. We can also use it in high-performance vehicles and automotive steering system components. The reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) is used in structurally in high-temperature such as the leading edges of the space shuttles. A non-polymer material can be mixed for a matrix for carbon fibers. This fiber is found in filtration of high-temperature gases and also can make the anti-static component in high-performance clothing. Scientist now even thinks they can use carbon fiber to become part of buildings and bridges to become earthquake-proof.