An acoustic device may include a housing; an acoustic channel for passing sound through the housing; a valve seat arranged in the acoustic channel; a valve member configured to control the passing of sound through the channel depending on a configuration of the valve member with respect to the valve seat; an actuator comprising a first SMA wire section and a second SMA wire section configured to actuate the valve member and to change a configuration of the valve member with respect to the valve seat from an open configuration to a closed configuration and vice versa, respectively, when activated; and a retention mechanism which is configured to provide a retention force for retaining the valve member in the closed configuration, wherein the retention force is configured to be overcome by the actuator such that the valve member is released from the closed configuration upon activation of the actuator.

Disclosed are a motor (20, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80), a camera module (100), and a mobile terminal (200). A motor (20, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80) includes a base (21, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81), a support base (23, 43, 53, 63, 73, 83), and a shape memory alloy actuator (25). The shape memory alloy actuator (25) is fixedly connected between the base (21, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81) and the support base (23, 43, 53, 63, 73, 83), and the shape memory alloy actuator (25) is configured to drive the support base (23, 43, 53, 63, 73, 83) to move relative to the base (21, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81). The motor (20) further includes an eccentricity-prevention magnetic assembly (27, 47, 57), the eccentricity-prevention magnetic assembly (27, 47, 57) includes a first eccentricity-prevention member (271, 471, 571, 771, 871) and a second eccentricity-prevention member (273, 473, 573, 773, 873), the first eccentricity-prevention member (271, 471, 571, 771, 871) is disposed on the base (21, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81), the second eccentricity-prevention member (273, 473, 573, 773, 873) is disposed on the support base (23, 43, 53, 63, 73, 83), and when the motor is in a powered-off state, a first central axis of the base (21, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81) coincides with a second central axis of the support base (23, 43, 53, 63, 73, 83) under the action of magnetostatic forces between the first eccentricity-prevention member (271, 471, 571, 771, 871) and the second eccentricity-prevention member (273, 473, 573, 773, 873), to resolve the problem of eccentricity of the motor (20, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80).

A hybrid actuation device including a first plate and a second plate coupled to the first plate, a shape memory alloy wire coupled to the first plate and the second plate, a bladder positioned between the first plate and the second plate, the bladder housing a fluid, a first fixed electrode coupled to the second plate, and a flexible electrode coupled to the first plate and extending along the first fixed electrode.

Various examples relate to electrically actuated valves. Various examples relate to actuators to be used for valves, e.g., shape—memory alloy actuators or solenoid actuators (151) or piezoelectric actuators. Various examples relate to a modular concept in which a valve can be formed by attaching an actuator component (601) to a housing. Various examples relate to a further modular concept in which multiple valve blocks, each valve block including one or more valves, can be fluidly coupled with each other.

Dynamically modifiable air movers can be modified during operation of a computing system to allow the performance of the fan (air flow, air flow split between exhausts) to be adjusted based on a workload being performed by the system. The physical modifications that an air mover can undergo are physical in nature and include adjusting the placement of one or more cutwaters, expanding or contracting an expandable portion of the fan housing, covering or uncovering an exhaust to provide or remove cooling to memory components, and moving a slidable strip to extend or withdraw from an exhaust. Causing one or more of these physical modifications to be made can be performed in response to the system determining that a temperature, rate of temperature change, power consumption level, rate of power consumption level change of the system or system components exceeds or has dropped below a threshold level.

An activation assembly for a sealed container includes a striker, a detent, and a shape memory alloy (SMA) wire connected to the detent. The SMA wire may move the detent from a first position to a second position relative to the striker based on activation of the SMA wire where, in the first position, the detent is engaged with the striker, and, in the second position, the detent is disengaged from the striker and the striker is movable from a stowed position to a deployed position.

Actuation systems and methods are disclosed. An apparatus includes a system including a flow cell receptacle and a valve drive assembly including a shape memory alloy actuator including a pair of shape memory alloy wires and a flow cell disposable within the flow cell receptacle and having a membrane valve. The system actuates the membrane valve, via the shape memory alloy actuator, by causing a voltage to be applied to a first one of the shape memory alloy wires and the system not applying the voltage to a second one of the shape memory alloy wires.

A multi-stable actuator includes a first superelastic-shape memory alloy (SE-SMA) wire extending between a first fixed support and a movable element and a second SE-SMA wire extending between a second fixed support and the movable element. The first SE-SMA wire is in tension against the second SE-SMA wire and the second SE-SMA wire is in tension against the first SE-SMA wire. The multi-stable actuator also includes at least one heating device configured to heat the first SE-SMA wire independent of the second SE-SMA wire and to heat the second SE-SMA wire independent of the first SE-SMA wire such that the movable element moves between and to at least three fixed positions without use of a brake or clutch.

A vehicle seat can be configured to provide support to a vehicle occupant in conditions when lateral acceleration is experienced. Shape memory material members can be operatively positioned with respect to a seat portion of the vehicle seat. The shape memory material members can be selectively activated by an activation input. When activated, the shape memory material members can engage a seat pan so as to cause the seat pan to tilt in a respective lateral direction. As a result, a seat cushion supported by the seat pan can also tilt in the respective lateral direction. The seat cushion can be tilted in a lateral direction that is opposite to the direction of the lateral acceleration. Thus, the effects of lateral acceleration felt by a seat occupant can be reduced. The shape memory material members can be selectively activated based on vehicle speed, steering angle, and/or lateral acceleration.

A driving device includes a first driving element and a first flexible structure. The first driving element includes a first wire extending in a first direction and includes a shape memory alloy. The first flexible structure has a certain width in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and when the first wire contracts in the first direction, the first flexible structure has a height increasing in a third direction perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction. The driving device further includes a second driving element including a second wire and a second flexible structure, the second wire extending in the first direction and including a shape memory alloy. The second flexible structure has a certain width in the second direction, and when the second wire contracts in the first direction, the second flexible structure has a height increasing in the third direction.