Nerve scaffolds are described that include a tubular outer housing fabricated from a biocompatible polymer, within which are disposed a plurality of carbon nanofiber yarns. The carbon nanofiber yarns, which can be separated by distances roughly corresponding to an average nerve fiber diameter, provide surfaces on which nerve fibers can regrow. Because the proximate carbon nanofiber yarns can support individual nerve fibers, a nerve can be regenerated with a reduced likelihood of undesirable outcomes, such as nerve pain or reduced nerve function.

A needle lattice is used to form openings within a graft material to selectively enhance permeability of a prosthesis for tissue integration therein. The needle lattice may be disposed on, for example, a surface of a roller or press. The needle lattice precisely places openings in any pattern and location, and on any textile that forms the graft material. The needle lattice can be heated to fuse the surrounding material of the openings of the textile to prevent movement of the textiles and to prevent collapse of the openings. All parameters of the openings, including varying density, patterns, and size of each opening, can be controlled, allowing for the opportunity to selectively enhance and optimize the permeability of the graft material in a vessel. The needle lattice can quickly form multiple openings within a graft material, allowing for quick manufacturing of the prosthesis.

A carbon nanotube (CNT) muscle device includes a first CNT yarn. The first CNT yarn includes: one or more first CNT sheets wrapped in the form of a tube; and a first guest actuation material infiltrating the one or more first CNT sheets.

A three-dimensional thread making method using ultrasonic waves is provided. The method includes inserting a yarn into a position corresponding to an engraved pattern of a mold base between an ultrasonic wave generator and the mold base at positions adjacent to each other, applying ultrasonic waves to the yarn while the ultrasonic wave generator pressurizes the yarn, and injecting a medical anti-loosening member made in a form of the engraved pattern due to the ultrasonic waves. The medical anti-loosening member includes a medical three-dimensional thread formed to have a plurality of protrusions facing each other on both sides and a medical anti-loosening screw.

Shape memory yarns described herein include twisted microfilaments made from a shape memory alloy that may provide superelastic or shape memory properties. The shape memory yarns are formed into coils that provide a high degree of actuation or elasticity along an axis of the coiled shape memory yarn, and may have relatively low porosity, low rigidity, and/or low change of volume compared to shape memory coils formed from solid structures. Coiled shape memory yarns may provide further tailorability of a superelastic or shape memory response of a system or device incorporating the coiled shape memory yarns through various coil parameters, such as coil pitch or density, or torque balancing, such as heat treating or plying the coiled shape memory yarns.

The invention relates to a resorbable multifilament comprising a number of individual resorbable filaments of a first type having a first degradation time and a number of individual resorbable filaments of a second type having a second degradation time, wherein the filaments of the first type and the filaments of the second type are arranged in close relationship to form a composite multifilament having a length and a specific composite cross-section comprising cross-sections of the individual filaments of the first type and second type, wherein the cross-sections of the individual filaments of the first and second type are located at determined relative positions, wherein the relative positions amongst the individual cross-sections of the filaments of the first and second types are invariant over the length of the composite multifilament.

Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber yarn or twist-inserted polymer fibers generate torsional actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize coiled yarns/polymer fibers and can be either neat or comprising a guest. In some embodiments, the actuator system includes a twisted and coiled polymer fiber actuator, and at least one of (i) wire connections that enable electrical heating of the twisted and coiled polymer fiber actuator, (ii) a radiation source and radiation pathway that enables photothermal heating of the twisted and coiled polymer fiber actuator, and (iii) a delivery system for delivering chemicals whose reaction produces heating of the twisted and coiled polymer fiber actuator.

A method of manufacturing an artificial muscle fiber device includes: tethering an artificial muscle fiber around one or more shape-setting pieces; annealing the artificial muscle fiber so that the artificial muscle fiber will retain specific shapes established by the shape-setting pieces; and removing the shape-setting pieces from the artificial muscle fiber.

A cord including multifilament para-aramid yarn comprising filaments, wherein the filaments have a non-round cross section having a smaller and a larger dimension, where the cross-sectional aspect ratio between the larger and the smaller dimension is 1.5-10 and the smaller dimension of the cross section has a maximum of 50 m and wherein the para-aramid has at least 90% para bonds between the aromatic moieties. The cords have excellent fatigue properties.

Actuators (artificial muscles) comprising twist-spun nanofiber twist-inserted polymer fibers generate tensile actuation when powered electrically, photonically, chemically, thermally, by absorption, or by other means. These artificial muscles utilize coiled polymer fibers and can be either neat or comprising a guest. In some embodiments, the coiled polymer fibers actuator can be incorporated into an article, such as a textile, braid, clothing, smart packaging, or a mechanical system, and the coiled polymer fiber in the coiled polymer fiber actuator can have a stroke amplification factor of 5 or greater.