A power switch device has a housing, a movable shuttle and at least one shape memory alloy actuator. The housing has a cavity and stationary current carrying contacts which extend through the housing to the cavity. The movable shuttle with a bridge contact provided in the cavity. The at least one shape memory alloy actuator is attached to a first end of the shuttle and to a first end of the housing. The at least one shape memory alloy actuator is configured to respond to a first activation signal. The at least one shape memory alloy actuator contracts from an initial shape in response to the first actuation signal to move the shuttle and the bridge contact toward the stationary current carrying contacts to a closed position in which the bridge contact is positioned in electrical engagement with the stationary current carrying contacts.

Systems and methods for shifting a position of one or more optical elements are disclosed. In an embodiment, a system may include a housing having a chamber formed therein, at least one non-linear crystal disposed in the chamber, the non-linear crystal configured to receive at least one incident signal and to convert a wavelength of at least a portion of the incident signal, and at least one shape memory alloy element disposed such that thermal or electrical energy applied to the shape memory alloy causes movement of the non-linear crystal.

A tire having a plurality of shape memory alloy (SMA) radial stiffening elements including a first end portion, a second end portion, and an arching middle portion. Each SMA radial element is secured to the rim of a wheel to form arching elements extending about an entire circumference of the tire.

A method and an apparatus for producing metallic semi-finished products by means of remelting and/or remelt-alloying. Here, the material is melted selectively locally in a melting capillary in the material volume by means of high-energy, focused radiation, the melting capillary is moved through the material and the material is cooled down at a high cooling rate by means of a cooled heat sink, which is located close to the melting capillary and coupled to the material in a well heat-conductive manner.

Systems and methods for shifting a position of one or more optical elements are disclosed. In an embodiment, a system may include a housing having a chamber formed therein, at least one non-linear crystal disposed in the chamber, the non-linear crystal configured to receive at least one incident signal and to convert a wavelength of at least a portion of the incident signal, and at least one shape memory alloy element disposed such that thermal or electrical energy applied to the shape memory alloy causes movement of the non-linear crystal.

There are super elastic NiTi materials for use as medical components, especially implantable medical components, and methods of fabricating such components to have desired R-phase characteristics in-vivo. Additionally, there are methods of processing a TiNi material to produce an implantable medical component by cold or warm working the TiNi material at least 15%; aging the cold or warm worked TiNi material under stress at between 300-700 C.; and further aging the TiNi material below 300 C. to produce desired R-phase characteristics. Additionally, there are methods of processing a TiNi material to produce a medical component by processing the TiNi material to produce a medical component that has a stress free M*s below a normal body temperature. Additionally, a TiNi material is used to produce a super elastic medical component from a tube, a sheet, a wire or a strip to have a stress free M*s below a normal body temperature.

TiNbHf/Zr(Cr) alloy shape-memory wires are provided which are suitable for use in medical devices and actuators, and methods for manufacturing such wires are provided. The present shape-memory TiNbHf/Zr(Cr) alloy is a superelastic wire material particularly suited for in vivo applications. For example, the present TiNbHf/Zr(Cr) alloy wire is radiopaque, thereby enabling surgical use of a monolithic, shape-memory alloy wire while preserving the ability to monitor the in vivo location of the wire through X-ray or other radiation-based imaging systems. In addition, the present TiNbHf/Zr(Cr) alloy can be manufactured to exhibit shape-memory alloy material properties without the use of nickel as an alloy constituent, thereby accommodating nickel-sensitive patients. The present TiNbHf/Zr(Cr) alloy can also be processed to exhibit a martensite/austenite transformation temperature near body-temperature, i.e., 37 C., so that shape-memory effects can be utilized to accomplish work in vivo.

A Fe-based shape memory alloy material, containing 25 atom % to 42 atom % of Mn, 9 atom % to 13 atom % of Al, 5 atom % to 12 atom % of Ni, and 5.1 atom % to 15 atom % of Cr, with the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities; a method of producing the same; and a wire material and sheet material composed of the alloy material.

The present technology relates to a NiMnGa magnetic shape memory (MSM) alloy including twin boundaries type 2, which are deviated approximately +/2-4 degrees from (101) or equivalent crystallographic plane by rotation about [101] or equivalent crystallographic direction. This technology relates also to an actuator, sensor and harvester including MSM element of this technology.

An earth-boring tool includes a tool body, at least one cutting element, and a retaining member comprising a shape memory material (e.g., alloy, polymer, etc.) located between a surface of the tool body and a surface of the cutting element. The shape memory material is configured to transform, responsive to application of a stimulus, from a first solid phase to a second solid phase. The retaining member comprises the shape memory material in the second solid phase, and at least partially retains the at least one cutting element adjacent the tool body. The shape memory material may be trained in a first phase to a first shape, and trained in a second phase to a second shape. The retaining member may be at least partially within a cavity in the first phase, then transformed to the second phase to apply a force securing the cutting element to the tool body.