Disclosed herein is a composite comprising a metal alloy matrix; where the metal alloy matrix comprises aluminum in an amount greater than 50 atomic percent; a first metal and a second metal; where the first metal is different from the second metal; and where the metal alloy matrix comprises a low temperature melting phase and a high temperature melting phase; where the low temperature melting phase melts at a temperature that is lower than the high temperature melting phase; and a contracting constituent; where the contracting constituent exerts a compressive force on the metal alloy matrix at a temperature between a melting point of the low temperature melting phase and a melting point of the high temperature melting phase or below the melting points of the high and low temperature melting phases.

Disclosed herein is a shape memory alloy comprising 48 to 50 atomic percent nickel, 15 to 30 atomic percent hafnium, 1 to 5 atomic percent aluminum; with the remainder being titanium. Disclosed herein too is a method of manufacturing a shape memory alloy comprising mixing together to form an alloy nickel, hafnium, aluminum and titanium in amounts of 48 to 50 atomic percent nickel, 15 to 30 atomic percent hafnium, 1 to 5 atomic percent aluminum; with the remainder being titanium; solution treating the alloy at a temperature of 700 to 1300 C. for 50 to 200 hours; and aging the alloy at a temperature of 400 to 800 C. for a time period of 50 to 200 hours to form a shape memory alloy.

A haptic actuator device includes a surface with a mechanical property responsive to localized temperature changes. The surface can include a layer or sheet comprising a shape-memory material. The haptic actuator device can further include an actuator configured to selectively deform a plurality of regions in the sheet; and a temperature controller adapted to control the temperatures of the plurality of regions. A method of localized actuation includes selectively controlling the temperatures of the plurality of regions to be above a shape-memory transition temperature of the shape-memory material; selectively deforming at least one of the regions; while maintaining the deformation of the at least one region, lowering the temperature of the at least one region to below the shape-memory transition temperature; subsequently withdrawing the applied stress; and thereafter heating the at least one region to above the shape-memory transition temperature, causing the region to return to its pre-deformation shape.

A system, method, and apparatus for an athlete to variably control the flexibility and stiffness parameters of a piece of athletic equipment to select a desired performance characteristic of the equipment based on the stiffness parameter. According to certain embodiments discussed herein, an item of sporting equipment may be embedded, impregnated, lined, or encased using nitinol components, wherein the nitinol components may themselves be treated using a specific method in order to achieve the desired transformation results, as described below.

A fastening apparatus includes a retaining member comprising a shape memory material configured to transform, responsive to application of a stimulus, from a first solid phase to a second solid phase. The retaining member is disposed within a hole in a body and secured within the hole by phase change which creates an interference fit to secure the retaining member against rotational and axial movement. The hole has a second axial cross-sectional shape. The retaining member has a first axial cross-sectional shape that is preferably either circular or rectangular.

A method of improving the fatigue life of a superelastic medical device includes applying a compressive stress to a fatigue critical location of a medical device comprising a superelastic nickel-titanium alloy, where the compressive stress induces a compressive strain of greater than 9% in the fatigue critical location. After inducing the compressive strain, the compressive stress is released. A tensile stress is applied to the fatigue critical location of the medical device, where the tensile stress induces a tensile strain of greater than 9% in the fatigue critical location. After inducing the tensile strain, the tensile stress is released. After application and release of each of the compressive stress and the tensile stress, the fatigue critical location includes a non-zero amount of residual strain, and the medical device may exhibit improved fatigue properties.

There is provided a training system capable of performing work. The system has a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator exhibiting a generally planar transformational behavior. The system further has one or more heating elements for transforming the SMA actuator from an original shape to a trained shape, thereby performing work.

In a method for forming a shape memory alloy wire a shape memory alloy composition of CuAlMnNi excluding grain refiner elements, is mixed, including between about 20 at % and about 28 at % Al, between about 2 at % and about 4 at % Ni, between about 3 at % and about 5 at % Mn, and Cu as a remaining balance. The mixture is heated between about 1100 C. and about 1400 C. and ejected from a crucible, at an ejection pressure of between about 3 bar and about 5 bar through a nozzle having a nozzle diameter of between about 200 microns and about 280 microns, to a face of a melt spinning wheel with speed of between about 9 m/s and about 13 m/s until there is formed a shape memory alloy wire having a length of at least about 1.5 meters and a diameter of no more than about 150 microns.

A device includes a capsule extending longitudinally from a proximal end to a distal end and including a channel extending therethrough. The capsule is releasably coupled to a proximal portion of the device. Device also includes a first arm rigidly fixed to the distal end of the capsule to extend distally therefrom. In addition, Device includes a second arm, a proximal end of which is slidably received within the capsule so that the second arm is movable between an open configuration, in which the second arm is moved laterally away from the first arm and a distal end of the second arm is moved distally past the distal end of the first arm, and a closed configuration, in which the second arm is moved toward the first arm and the distal end of the second arm is moved proximally toward the distal end of the first arm.

A production method for a medical linear member is provided which is not abraded upon production and which includes a flat shape in a cross section. The method includes the steps of: forming a first spiral body (1) of an oval shape in a horizontal section by spirally winding a base body (3), in which a plurality of wires (2) formed of a shape-memory alloy is arrayed, around a winding core (4); subjecting the first spiral body (1) to first shape-memory treatment; cutting the first spiral body (1) into a first predetermined length; forming a second spiral body (5) of a flat shape in a horizontal section by compressing the first spiral body (1) in a direction along a short diameter; subjecting the second spiral body (5) to second shape-memory treatment; and removing the winding core (4) from the second spiral body (5).