A method for activating a gas, wherein an electrically conductive aeromaterial having a pore space comprising the gas is electrically contacted and at least one electric current, which varies over time, flows through the aeromaterial, wherein the aeromaterial exhales gas from the pore space when the electrical power consumption is increased and inhales gas from the surroundings of the aeromaterial when the power consumption is decreased, and wherein a temporally pulsed current having predefined pulse power levels, pulse durations and pulse spacings is fed through the aeromaterial and the temperature of the aeromaterial is changed by the time-varying current by 100° C. or more within one second or less. The invention also relates to an electrothermal gas actuator and to uses of a gas actuator.

Actuator assemblies comprising a core made up of a shape memory alloy wire and a coating containing a distribution of Phase Changing Material (PCM) particles with a given weight ratio between said particles and said shape memory alloy wire, and active cloths incorporating one or more of said actuator assemblies.

A heat recovery apparatus, system and method of using the same. The heat recovery apparatus includes a particulate inlet, a particulate distributor in fluid communication with the particulate inlet, a cavity in fluid communication with the particulate distributor, a plurality of pipes contained within the cavity and configured for transmission of a heat transfer fluid therethrough, and a particulate outlet in fluid communication with the cavity.

A heat recovery apparatus, system and method of using the same. The heat recovery apparatus includes a particulate inlet, a particulate distributor in fluid communication with the particulate inlet, a cavity in fluid communication with the particulate distributor, a plurality of pipes contained within the cavity and configured for transmission of a heat transfer fluid therethrough, and a particulate outlet in fluid communication with the cavity.

A linear displacement device includes at least one artificial muscle actuator, an arm attached to the at least one artificial muscle, a body that is restricted to move along a line, and a stationary channel that restricts the motion of the body to linear motion. The at least one artificial muscle actuator causes the body to move along the line. The body is further restricted to move along a surface of the arm and the at least one artificial muscle actuator is a rotational muscle actuator. Additionally, the arm rotates in concert with the at least one artificial muscle actuator.

A linear displacement device includes at least one artificial muscle actuator, an arm attached to the at least one artificial muscle, a body that is restricted to move along a line, and a stationary channel that restricts the motion of the body to linear motion. The at least one artificial muscle actuator causes the body to move along the line. The body is further restricted to move along a surface of the arm and the at least one artificial muscle actuator is a rotational muscle actuator. Additionally, the arm rotates in concert with the at least one artificial muscle actuator.

Cooling by a twist-untwist process, by a stretch-release process for twisted, coiled, or supercoiled yarns or fibers, and methods and systems thereof. High mechanocaloric cooling results from release of inserted twist or from stretch release for twisted, coiled, or supercoiled fibers, including natural rubber fibers, NiTi wires, and polyethylene fishing line. Twist utilization can increase cooling and cooling efficiencies. A cooler using twist insertion and release can be shorter and smaller in volume than a cooler that requires a large elastomeric elongation. The cooler system can be utilized in mechanochromic textiles and remotely readable tensile and torsional sensors.

An apparatus for holding and releasing a pin in a controlled manner comprises a base, a pin holding element supported at the base, a plurality of rod-shaped release elements made of a shape memory alloy and supported at the base, a holding force application device supported at the base for applying an elastic holding force, and a force transfer element. The force transfer element is subjected to the elastic holding force and, against the elastic holding force, supported at the base via a parallel arrangement of the pin holding element and the release elements. The release elements are arranged with radial play in blind holes in the base, which are arranged around the pin holding element. The pin holding element is deactivatable by heating up the release elements beyond a transition temperature of their shape memory alloy and by a resulting recovery of the release elements to straight memory shapes.

Hydraulic or pseudo hydraulic methods and apparatus using component area ratios to amplify the displacement or force responses of super-elastic (SE) and shape memory actuator (SMA) devices by means mechanically coupled to the SE/SMA devices.

Hydraulic or pseudo hydraulic methods and apparatus using component area ratios to amplify the displacement or force responses of super-elastic (SE) and shape memory actuator (SMA) devices by means mechanically coupled to the SE/SMA devices.