Kenneth Adams: Midterm Paper

Project Title: The Shape Shifting Key

Keywords:
Here are the keywords used in my project: Shape shifting, Master Key, Security,Lock,Wireless.Tracking Device.

Abstract:
The project that I am working on is called the shape shifting key. This key will be designed to changed shape whenever it is needed to open a lock. The key will have a built in finger print system in it. It will only work with its designated owner to prevent wrongful intent. There are nights where you forgot to bring your key and you are locked out of your home. One day you may have lost your car keys. The shape shifting key is made for these moments. You can only purchase one key at a time. In order to get another key you would have to report the last key to the police. They will then deactivate the old key and make a new one for you with updated information for a price. The shape shifting key will be made to fit in your wallet. Losing the key will be very difficult unless you have lost your wallet. The key will have a chip in it with data of each lock that you own. In this case it can remember that it is your lock and how to change shape to open it. The shape shifting key would be given to the elderly and handicapped for free.

Research: Tangible
shape shifting Materials are Goal of New Nanotechnology Project Scientists will use high-throughput techniques to identify materials whose internal structure changes shape in response to external stimuli like heat or light

An international research team has received a $2.9 million grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to design nanomaterials whose internal structure changes shape in response to stimuli such as heat or light.

Each of these novel materials will be constructed from three types of components: inorganic nanoparticles with desired optical or electrical properties; peptides that bond to these nanoparticles; and special molecules called spacers, which sit between the peptides and bend in the presence of heat, light or other triggers.

When stimulated, the spacers will cause the arrangement of nanoparticles within the material to morph a process that can lead to interesting and useful effects.Shape-shifting materials of the kind the researchers are planning to create could have use in applications including color-changing sensors and plasmonic circuits that divert light in two directions.In depth description of research in the fields and satellite fields.
The project is being led by Paras Prasad, SUNY Distinguished Professor in the University at Buffalo’s departments of chemistry, physics, electrical engineering and medicine, and executive director of UB’s Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics (ILPB). Funding comes from the Mathematics, Information and Life Sciences Directorate of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, with Hugh DeLong in that office serving as program manager.

Prasad’s fellow investigators include Aidong Zhang, professor and chair of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at UB; Mark T. Swihart, professor of chemical and biological engineering at UB and director of the UB 2020 Integrated Nanostructured Systems Strategic Strength; Tiffany R. Walsh, associate professor at the Institute for Frontier Materials at Deakin University in Australia; and Marc R. Knecht, associate professor of chemistry at the University of Miami.

The palette of parts the team will use to build the nanomaterials includes spacers of different sizes, along with seven types of nanoparticles — gold, silver, silica, iron-oxide, iron-platinum, cadmium-sulfide and zinc-sulfide.To identify the combinations of components that will produce the most interesting materials, the scientists will use high-throughput experiments and data-mining techniques to screen and analyze the vast number of possible combinations of nanostructures, biomolecular linking elements and assembly conditions.

Here is a link to the website stating that shapeshifting objects have been thought of. They are in the works but not yet created.
Link:http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2012/07/13534.htm

Research: Philosophical Securing someone’s property has long been a concern of people throughout the world. Beyond hiding the objects or constantly guarding them the frequently used option is to secure them with a device. Early solutions included knots to either detect, like the Thief knot, or hamper, like the Gordian Knot. Historians are unsure where the first lock was invented, but evidence suggests that locks initially developed independently in the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman civilizations. Wooden locks and keys were in use as early as 4,000 years ago in Egypt. The first known lock with a key is a pin lock. The lock is strung on a rope hanging out of a hole in a door. A cylinder of wood with a hole drilled through its axis is the key, the length of the cylinder being the critical factor. The key is inserted into the hole and the bolt is pushed the correct distance. To lock the door the rope was pulled to extract the key cylinder, simultaneously pulling the bolt closed. This type of lock is still in use in certain parts of the world. Puerto Rico still uses this system. A disadvantage of this lock is that a vandal can push the rope into the hole: an ancient equivalent of putting glue into a lock.

The warded lock is present from the antiquity. This lock is still used in modern times when the security required is not high and cost is a significant factor. This lock has become the most recognisable lock/key design in the Western world. Lock puzzles were used to obscure the locking mechanism or even provide a non-functioning lock for the thief to waste time on.
In the early 1900s a wooden pin lock with a wood key was discovered in Egypt and is believed to have been used in 250 b.c.Early improvements in pin locks included increasing the number of pins to increase security, and changing the orientation of the pins to allow the key to provide the unlocking force instead of a rope, thus establishing the principles of the modern pin tumbler lock.

Historically, locksmiths actually made the entire lock, working for hours hand cutting screws and doing much file-work. Today, the rise of cheap mass production means this happens a lot less, and, though a few expert locksmiths are also engineers and capable of sophisticated repairs and renovation work, the vast majority of locks are repaired by swapping of parts or like-for-like replacement, or upgraded to modern mass-production items. Until more recently, safes and strongboxes were the exception to this, and to this day large vaults are custom designed and built at great cost, as the cost of this is lower than the very limited scope for mass production would allow, and the risk of a copy being obtained and defeated as practice is removed.

Although fitting of keys to replace lost keys to automobiles and homes and the changing of keys for homes and businesses to maintain security are still an important part of locksmithing, locksmiths today are primarily involved in the installation of higher quality lock-sets and the design, implementation and management of keying and key control systems. Most locksmiths also do electronic lock servicing, such as making keys for transponder-equipped vehicles and the implementation and application of access control systems protecting individuals and assets for many large institutions.

In terms of physical security, a locksmith’s work frequently involves making a determination of the level of risk to an individual or institution and then recommending and implementing appropriate combinations of equipment and policies to create “security layers” which exceed the reasonable gain to an intruder or attacker. The more different security layers are implemented, the more the requirement for additional skills and knowledge and tools to defeat them all. But because each layer comes at an expense to the customer, the application of appropriate levels without exceeding reasonable costs to the customer is often very important and requires a skilled and knowledgeable locksmith to determine.

Locksmiths may be commercial, institutional or investigational or may specialize in one aspect of the skill, such as an automotive lock specialist, a master key system specialist or a safe technician. Many are also security consultants, but not every security consultant has the skills and knowledge of a locksmith. Locksmiths are frequently certified in specific skill areas or to a level of skill within the trade. This is separate from certificates of completion of training courses. In determining skill levels, certifications from manufacturers or locksmith associations are usually more valid criteria than certificates of completion. Some locksmiths decide to call themselves “Master Locksmiths” whether they are fully trained or not, and some training certificates appear quite authoritative.

The majority of locksmiths also work on any existing door hardware, not just locking mechanisms. This includes door closers, door hinges, electric strikes, frame repairs and other door hardware.

Full Project Description
The shape shifting key would be made entirely for the elderly or disabled. Anyone could use purchase this key but i feel that it could be used more for those sort of people. The key would have a tracking device on the storage card just incase it gets lost. The storage cannot be removed. This device would store data wirelessly through bluetooth or the police servers. I mentioned earlier that if you lose this device you can only recieve a new one by warning the police. The key would be able to change shape and fit comfortably in your wallet. Most people keep important things their wallet. For instance, Money, forms of ID, and metrocards. With these things being kept in your wallet you will take extra care of it. Chances of losing the shape shifting key would be slim. In my project the key would have voice recognition. For example, you walk to your home door and say Key shift Home. It will then change into a key that fits your door perfectly. People tend to have lots of things that requires a key to open them. For example, Car doors, Home doors, Work doors, Lock Safe, and more. Why carry a load of keys that can be heavy or take up too much pocket space. The shape shifting key will be one key that fits all. I know that something like this can cause trouble. People with wrongful intent will steal this key to commit crimes. To avoid this ive implimented a finger print scanner. The key will not operate to someone that has not been registered to it. When someone tries to use your key the police will be notified instantly. The thief will be tracked down without even knowing it. Stealing a shape shifting key would be a felony because it is primarily used by the elderly and disabled. There would be software for the key to install on your home computer. This software will allow you to enter different locks for the shape shifting key to remember. The shapeshifting key would retrieve this information from your computer wirelessly. The police will have your information just in case if you commit crimes as well. They will store the date you purchased the key, your name, date of birth, and address. Hopefully I could strike a deal with a lock smith company to make some money selling them shapeshifting keys. Also, the military can make good use of this item because they own a number of automobiles. Even at war they could still the enemies car or plane and escape danger. The military would have special shapeshifting keys that read locks on doors with a scanner.

Timeline of Your Tasks for Remainder of Semester
I will spend the first week researching how shapeshifting works. Ive read an article that explains a new research about shapeshifting and heat. The research that ive done above explains an attempt to create a shapeshifting object that reacts to heat. I will spend the second week doing some research on the history of keys and how the master key works. A master key is just a name for a key that can open any lock. The third week i will spend researching security functions and how i could implement them into this key. Like I have stated earlier about the finger printing and tracking device. The fourth week i will work on my delverables. For the remaining of the time i will work on reviewing my research.

Description of Deliverables

My first deliverable would be my journal. I would also include drawings of the shapeshifting key. Step by step would show the design of the key and its functions. There are a number of functions for this key. I believe people would want to see a visual of how they look and work. Also i would include a 3D model of it handmade if I could. It may be out of cardboard or something that can be used to make a model of it. My last deliverable could be a brochure of me advertising the shapeshifing key, explaining what it does, and how to use it correctly.