//2007 Regional Winners
Toshiba and the National Science Teachers Association are proud to announce the 2007 ExploraVision Awards regional winners.
Grades 10-12 / Grades 7-9 / Grades 4-6 / Grades K-3
Grades 10-12
ReGen Bone Replacement is a tissue–engineering product made of nanofiber polymers and a phosphium compound to replace bone tissue without the need for a donor. Piezoelectricity will supply energy to tracker sensors in the tissue platform to ensure the stability of the replacement.
Chaminade High School, Mineola, NY
Left to right: Salvatore Trentacoste (Coach), Laura Cronin (Toshiba America Foundation), Robert Ryan (Student), Alex Kamath (Student), Michael Strandberg (Student), Maureen Flynn (Toshiba America Foundation), Akiko Takahashi (Toshiba)
Emergency Heart Attack Notification and Treatment System (EHANT System) is an ovoid device surgically implanted into the thoracic aorta heart valve that detects enzymes indicative of a pending heart attack, injects medication into the bloodstream, and uses Blue Tooth technology and GPS to notify emergency crews of the patient's location and ailment.
Oakcrest School, McLean, VA
Back row, left to right: Sarah Kish (Toshiba), Tetsuo Kadoya (Toshiba), Marie Wiggins (NSTA), Heather Shida (NSTA); Front row, left to right: Ellen Cavanagh (Head of School), Danielle Douez (Student), Veronika Staré (Student), Kelly Johnston (Student), Arundhati Jayarao (Coach)
SCNCM (Self Constructing Nano-Collector Molecules) employs nanotechnology in the design of a dialysis system that uses recycling self–assembling molecules to locate and clean impurities in the blood and deposit the foreign bodies into an artificial kidney before being eliminated into the urinary system. The resulting system will be more efficient and less intrusive than conventional dialysis techniques.
Wando High School, Mt. Pleasant, SC
Left to right: Deborah Kennedy (Coach), Lucy Beckham (Principal), Joseph Rivers (Student), Jonathan Heywood (Student), Christopher Mullin (Student), Jon Arvik (Toshiba), Kevin Bunting (Mentor); not pictured
Nano Mist applies anti-cancer technologies in a drug that continuously monitors and regulates glucose levels to improve the quality of life for diabetics. Dispensed from an inhalant once per month and time–released, receptors on nano–sized liposomes containing insulin particles bind with excess glucose in the blood and trigger the release of insulin from the liposome.
Edison Academy, Westerville, OH
Back row, left to right: Donna Tanner (Coach), Michael Vawter (Student), Mark David Wright (Student), David Sutherland (Toshiba); Front row, left to right: Gail Vawter (Mentor), Michelle Vawter (Student), Sarah Brown (Student)
Integrated Driving Assistance: Mapping the Road to Your Future uses an organic light-emitting diode multi-display windshield to assist with nighttime driving, help a driver identify road obstacles, and provide a more practical placement of navigation systems to improve driver safety. Electroluminescent organic compounds in the windshield generate transparent displays of information for an unobtrusive effect on the driver.
Baton Rouge Magnet HS, Baton Rouge, LA
Left to right: Fran Frost (Coach), William Wu (Student), Site Li (Student), Leixin Zhao (Student), Zhao Kong (Student), Lai Cao (Mentor)
Solar Waste Treatment System utilizes solar energy to reduce and convert municipal biomass waste into industrially viable chemical resources. Sunlight is reflected and absorbed to incinerate and gasify organic waste material, and then promote catalytic conversion of the decomposition products into valuable, purified chemicals such as methanol and formaldehyde.
Mira Costa High School, Manhattan Beach, CA
Left to right: Danny Sponaugle (Coach), Guy Parsey (Student), Kelly Mayfield (Student), Bryan Le (Student), Kiel Ireland (Student), Marty Millington (Toshiba)
Grades 7-9
Extensive cancer research will be possible through The Complete Protein MicroArray System: Saving Lives with Early Diagnosis. A fully equipped and automated protein microarray system that extracts human protein samples and compares them with a biochip reference base containing cancer proteins will provide accurate and reliable data for early diagnosis and treatment of cancer to save lives.
Jericho High School, Jericho, NY
Left to right: Christopher Hoppner (Coach), Yvette Leung (Student), Sagar Rambhia (Student), Leroy Chiao (Astronaut), John Anderson (President, Toshiba America Foundation), Pooja Rambhia (Student)
Passenger Tire Waste Heat Recovery System employs nanotechnologies to recycle heat energy lost from automobile tire deformation while an automobile is in motion. The heat from the tires generates radiation from a nano quantum dot; nano photovoltaic cells convert the radiation to electricity; and a super nano lattice diverts the electricity to the car battery to provide power for the vehicle, reduce the need for gasoline, and decrease atmospheric greenhouse gases.
Merion Mercy Academy, Merion, PA
Left to right: Lori Lesutis (Coach), Saara-Anne Azizi (Student), Anne Foley (Mentor), Rebecca Daily (Student), Alicia Dlugos (Student), Stephanie Kan (Student), Bob Kutulis (Toshiba)
Project H.E.A.R.T. employs nanotechnology and an artificial artery to automatically measure and analyze blood pressure, heart pulse, cholesterol, and blood sugar content in at-risk patients and warn of impending heart attacks and strokes. Mini sensors, communication devices, and a battery housed within the artificial artery transmit data to a remote tablet, monitored by emergency medical services, via a micro-satellite network.
David Hinson Middle School, Daytona Beach, FL
Left to right: Dan Lavrich (Toshiba), Sathya Gangadharan (Mentor), Deepak Sathyanarayan (Student), Brian La Starza (Student), Ibtehaj Chowdhury (Student), Robert Hernandez (Coach)
Neural Implants: A Vision for the Ability to Move help a paralyzed person regain control of his or her limbs by using optical fibers to bypass damaged neurons, simulate electrical impulses by neurons, and convey messages from the brain to the neurons.
Troy High School, Troy, MI
Left to right: Rebecca Johns (Coach), Srivarsha Koripella (Student), Sheng Zhou (Student), Clifford He (Student), Mark Dziatczak (Principal), Thomas Behringer (Toshiba)
Bisungi Pani (Bangla), Pure Water (English) is an efficient, low-cost individual water purifying tube that uses virus-fighting polymers and molecular-imprinting technologies to kill pathogens and filter toxic metals such as arsenic in water to provide safe drinking water in areas where millions of people suffer from waterborne diseases and metal contamination. The PureWater drinking tube has an environmentally conscious design that can be recycled for use as a structural base in the construction of homes.
John Burroughs School, St. Louis, MO
Left to right: Harold Harris (Mentor), Paul Cox (Toshiba), Anna Ghnouly (Student), Jack Welsh (Student), Elise Riley (Student), – Harris (Coach)
A Splash of Color is an eye drop that corrects color blindness. The eye drop containing synthesized cone opsins, or retinal photosensitive pigments, needed to produce the perception of color immediately recreates color vision and stimulates gradual production of the missing photo pigment for permanent color vision restoration.
The Pegasus School, Huntington Beach, CA
Left to right: Bill Nutini (Toshiba), Andrew Kurzweil (Student), Danie Diamond (Student), Matthew Edmondson (Coach), Mai Phan (Mentor); not pictured
Grades 4-6
JME Obesity, The Watch that Watches You, is a wristwatch-like device that scans food on a plate and provides portion control diagrams to the user to control overeating. The watch issues nutritional advice by tracking daily intake of carbs, sugar, fat, and calories, and by warning the user about unhealthy food consumption to promote weight loss.
HB Mattlin Middle School, Plainview, NY
Left to right: Haruo Nagai (Toshiba), Brian Henson (Toshiba), Sherri Winick (Coach), Marissa Grill (Student), Erin Gross (Student), Jamie Lander (Student), Eddie Temistokle (Toshiba)
HDVSHI + (Hand-Held Device for the Vision, Speech and Hearing Impaired Plus) is a universal multi-tasking device designed to aid disabled people, as well as the general public, with a variety of communication methods. The small device utilizes voice recognition technology, global positioning technology and an echolocation program, satellite transmissions and amplification systems to guide, interpret, translate, entertain, and advance global communication.
Benedict A. Cucinella Elementary, Long Valley, NJ
Back row, left to right: Rick Papera (Principal), Elizabeth Stepniak (Coach); Front row, left to right: Bernadette Brijlall (Toshiba), Nikhil Kunapuli (Participating from Eisenhower Intermediate School), Chakravarthi Akula (Participating from Eisenhower Intermediate School), Abhiram Gollapudi (Student), Geeta Gollapudi (Mentor)
The Eyeabot 3000 is a robotic eye constructed of silicon, thin crystal sheets, hydrophilic polymer material, gold, metal whiskers, gellan gum, and fiberglass optics to perform the functions of a natural eye and restore vision to the blind. The surgically-implanted robotic eye would use advanced technology and a two-way radio to communicate with the brain and with medical services responsible for monitoring the health and performance of the new eye.
Guy B. Phillips Middle School, Chapel Hill, NC
Left to right: Jacqueline Chandler (Coach), Diana Arndt (Student), Audrey Copeland (Student), Anne Kelley (Student), Jon Arvik (Toshiba)
The F.D.A. (Freedom from Drug Addiction) Vaccine attaches protein molecules to drug molecules and alerts the body's immune system to the presence of foreign molecules and immunizes it against the drug's addictive properties. The system helps the immune system to identify drug molecules that were previously undetectable due to their minute size.
VAAD Academy, Vancouver, BC
Back row, left to right: Elazar Reshef (Coach), Holborn Chun (Mentor), Steve Sull (Toshiba); Front row, left to right: In Seok Oh (Student), Junho Paek (Student), Minsoo Kim (Student)
D.A.P.E.S. (Diabetes Assistance and Prevention E-System) implants a nanosensor in a tooth to analyze harmful food intake for adolescent diabetics. The nanosensor continuously monitors and provides information such as sugar levels to a portable electronic system via wireless communication and warns or rewards children according to their consumption patterns.
Discovery School, Edinburg, TX
Back row, left to right: Karen Lozano (Mentor), Raquel Duberney-Guerrero (Coach), Isabella Soto (Student), Adam Tabak (Student); Front row, left to right: Bianca Mujica (Student), Jorge Vidal (Student), Mark Fowler (Toshiba)
Static Pants convert static electricity into power for personal electronics such as MP3 players. Nylon and rubber materials in the pants rub together during motion to form static charge that is discharged onto copper wires, carried by a cable to a console where the power is stored, and distributed to recharge electronic devices through a plug-in port in the pants.
Shahala Middle School, Vancouver, WA
Back row, left to right: Sheryl Meservey (Coach), Leroy Chiao (Astronaut), Ron Partch (Toshiba); Front row, left to right: Alec Masson (Student), Trevor Schauer (Student), Erik Pudans (Student), Ryan Masson (Student)
Grades K-3
Save Your Heart 911 combines heart monitoring, cell phone, and GPS technologies in a portable device to provide early detection of the onset of cardiac arrest and to alert emergency services to the patient's location and condition. The compact system unfolds to an LCD screen that provides instructions in various languages for administering CPR and utilizing a miniaturized defibrillator contained inside the device to save lives.
L.D. Batchelder School, North Reading, MA
Back row, left to right: Elizabeth Kosturko (Coach), Laura Wall (Mentor), – Ellen Murzyn (Toshiba), Sean Killeen (Principal); Front row, left to right: Colleen O'Brien (Student), Katie Wall (Student), Hannah Lally (Student), Catherine O'Brien (Student)
The Morphing Mask is an adaptable non-pharmaceutical mask that provides protection to people of all ages and sizes during a flu pandemic. A flexible material that will morph to the skin is used in the design with a revolutionary adhesive seal, nanotechnology-based seal leakage sensor, viral destructor agent, and hydrophobic shield to form a respirator that is both suitable for children and an accessible antiviral alternative during vaccine shortages.
Perrysville Elementary, Pittsburgh, PA
Back row, left to right: Maryann D'Alessandro (Mentor), Doris Stupka (Coach), Bob Kutulis (Toshiba); Front row, left to right: Luke Belanger (Student), Jared Lubbert (Student),Noah Mass (Student), Damian Yenzi (Student)
Eye shades integrate a digital audio player, a small camera-like digital distance meter, and voice recognition software into a pair of sunglasses to help blind people move around more independently. User voice commands activate a laser to measure the distance to a given destination and prompt audio-guided directions.
CA Roberts Elementary, Dallas, GA
Left to right: Pepper Misinco (Coach), Breanne Kendall (Student), Jacob Phillips (Student), Parth Patel (Student), Rebecca Tomlinson (Mentor), Michael Sullivan (Toshiba)
The Sonic Brush Guard is a custom-fit, motorized, mouth guard-shaped toothbrush that will brush all of the user's teeth at once to provide advanced dental hygiene. The battery-operated Sonic Brush Guard also plays a song to signal when brushing is complete.
Marsh Elementary School, Rockford, IL
Left to right: Jason Blythe (Toshiba), Margaret Babb (Coach), Michael Juarez, Jr. (Student), Lana Anderson (Student), Amanda Sanchez (Student), Tucker Polnow (Student), Mark Anderson (Mentor)
Medford the Medbot robot provides companionship, healthcare, security and quality of life enhancements to people with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. Major features include a psychology-based program designed to encourage patients to stay on track with their medicine, a secure computer system that controls the robot, and a GPS system to track the location of wandering patients.
Mandeville Elementary School, Mandeville, LA
Left to right: Julie Bourg (Coach), Caleb Bernard (Student), Stephen Kelly (Student), Hannah Lombardo (Student), Skip Holman (Toshiba), Ginny Kelly (Mentor); not pictured
PALSS: (Polymer Activated Life Saver System) saves lives while reducing property damage associated with conventional fire extinguishing systems. Compact polymer crystals trap water and expand to form a blanket that smothers fire and prevents water damage to building interiors and furnishings while providing for easier cleanup following a fire.
Adobe Bluffs Elementary, San Diego, CA
Back row, left to right: Stacey Lamb (Coach), Frank De Clercq (San Diego Fire Rescue Department), Cindy De Clerq (Principal), George Nelson (Toshiba); Front row, left to right: Cameryn Cousar (Student), Kian Faizi (Student), David Mao (Student)
