One variation includes a method including using a reversible dry adhesive system to reversibly couple a first substrate to a second substrate. One variation includes a method including using a reversible dry adhesive system to reversibly couple a first substrate to a second substrate during building or reconfiguring a product.

Textiles and garments comprising shape memory materials are disclosed herein. Such garments can include intimate apparel.

In one embodiment, an irrigated catheter ablation apparatus comprises an elongated body having a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one fluid lumen extending longitudinally therein; and a plurality of segmented ablation electrodes on a distal portion of the elongated body. The electrodes are spaced from the proximal end and from the distal end of the elongated body by electrically nonconductive segments. The electrodes are spaced from each other longitudinally by electrically nonconductive segments. For each electrode that is longitudinally disposed next to one of the nonconductive segments, an edge is formed between an electrode end of the electrode and a nonconductive segment end of the nonconductive segment. A plurality of elution holes are disposed adjacent to the edges. A plurality of ducts establish fluid communication between the elution holes and the fluid lumen.

The invention relates to multi-component shape memory threads, fibers, tubes, or tapes, which includes at least two shape-memory polymeric (SMP-N) components. Each of the at least two SMP-N components is of at least 1% of the total weight, and N is a positive integer starting from 1, and the SMP-N components have a selectively engineered shape recovery temperature (T.sub.r) between approximately 0° C. to 130° C. Also, when T.sub.rN and T.sub.rN+1 are higher than room temperature, the threads, fibers, tubes, or tapes are configured to assume a substantially helical configuration upon heating to above T.sub.rN and lower than T.sub.rN+1 by a stimulus when an elongation of the threads, fibers, tubes, or tapes is approximately 30% to approximately 300%, and having a coil diameter from 0.5 to 10 mm and a number of the turns per cm from 5 to 30.

An ionic nanocomposite comprising a nanomaterial comprising charged groups disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the nanomaterial and a polymer material comprising charged pendant group and/or end functionalized charged groups, where the charged groups of the nanomaterial and the charged pendant groups of the polymer material have opposite charges and the nanomaterial and polymer material are connected by one or more ionic bonds. A nanomaterial can be nanoparticles comprising sulfate groups disposed on at least a portion of the surface of the nanoparticles. The polymer material can be a polymer with pendant imidazolium groups. An ionic nanocomposite can be present as a film (e.g., a thin film). An ionic nanocomposite can be used in devices. A nanocomposite can be used in various coating application.

Polymeric based closed cell foams, such as shape memory polymer foams, contain bubbles. Making these bubbles continuous is called reticulation. Disclosed are embodiments of a device and method to controllably reticulate polymer-based closed cell foams by puncturing the membranes of these polymer-based closed cell foams.

A flexible tip electrode for an ablation catheter is disclosed. The catheter includes a catheter body and a hollow elongate tip electrode disposed at a distal end of the catheter body. The electrode includes a sidewall provided with one or more elongate gaps extending therethrough. The one or more elongate gaps providing flexibility in the sidewall for bending movement of the tip electrode relative to a longitudinal axis of the catheter body.

An ablation catheter including an elongate shaft, an inflatable balloon positioned at a distal region of the elongate shaft, a first ablation electrode disposed outside of and carried by an outer surface of the inflatable balloon, a first ultrasound transducer disposed outside of the inflatable balloon, and a flexible circuit. The flexible circuit includes a first conductor and a second conductor and is disposed outside of and carried by the outer surface of the inflatable balloon. The first conductor is in electrical communication with the first ablation electrode, and the second conductor in electrical communication with the first ultrasound transducer.

An article of apparel is disclosed that includes zones with a textile having a structure than changes or is otherwise modified by a physical stimulus, such as the presence of water or a temperature change, to modify a property of the textile. The zones may be along a center back area and/or side areas of the apparel, and the textile may increase in air permeability when exposed to water. In some embodiments, slits are formed in the textile.

Shape memory polymers and copolymers are based on poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHA) and have improved elastomeric properties. The shape memory polymers and copolymers may be used as protective, reinforcement, cladding or embellishment material having mechanical properties enabling substitution to materials based on technical polymers such as plasticized PVC and polyolefins.