A linear detector element includes an outer sheath having a first end and a second end, one or more shape memory responsive elements within the outer sheath and between the first end and the second end and first and second conductive wires passing through at least a portion of the outer sheath and through the one or more shape memory responsive elements. The one more shape memory responsive elements include a shape memory actuator surrounding the first and second conductive wires and that has an expanded size and a contracted size and that is sized and arranged such that when the shape memory actuator is in the contracted state the first and second conductive wires contact one another and when the shape memory actuator is in the expanded state the first and second conductive wires do not contact one another.

Provided herein is a label structure for tagging a product item. The label structure includes a first graphic pattern having a first number of pixels and printed on a first portion of the label structure; a second graphic pattern having a second number of pixels and printed on a second portion of the label structure, the second graphic pattern forming an optical code readable by an optical decoding device; and shielding means capable of hiding or making visible the first graphic pattern depending on the values taken by a physical quantity to which the label structure is exposed. The first and second graphic patterns can be observed in combination, when the first graphic pattern is made visible by the shielding means.

A radio-frequency identification tag that includes a ground plane made of an electrically conductive material, and an actuator made of a transducer material adapted to convert a variation of a physical quantity into a mechanical displacement of the ground plane between first and second positions when the physical quantity crosses a predetermined threshold in order to indicate this event to the reader. The transducer material is a thermal shape-memory material or a magnetostrictive material or a magnetic shape-memory material. The transducer material is also an electrically conductive material. The ground plane and the actuator are both formed by a single strip made of the transducer material and a mobile portion of which moves relative to an antenna between the first and second positions when the physical variable crosses the predetermined threshold.

A structural health monitoring system based on a shape memory polymer includes a plurality of shape memory polymer buckling beam rod components, and a signal processing and structural health state abnormity warning platform. Each shape memory polymer buckling beam rod component includes an outer frame constraint, a shape memory polymer rod, and an electric signal generating element. The electric signal generating element includes piezoelectric material layers, and the signal processing and structural health state abnormity warning platform is electrically connected to the piezoelectric material layers.

A radio tag capable of indicating to a reader, via a wireless link, that a variation in energy has crossed a predetermined threshold, this variation in energy being chosen from the group made up of a variation in the temperature of the radio tag and a variation in the magnetic field in which the radio tag is immersed. This radio tag includes transducer material chosen from a group made up of a thermal shape-memory material, a magnetostrictive material and a magnetic shape-memory material. This transducer material is deposited and affixed without any degree of freedom onto a substrate or an antenna of the radio tag to form, with the substrate or the antenna, a multilayer structure which flexurally deforms the antenna between a bent conformation and a less bent conformation when the energy variation crosses the predetermined threshold.

A temperature indicating method, a temperature indicating label used by this method, and a method for manufacturing the temperature indicating label, includes: a, determining the target temperature, adopting the thermal induced shape memory polymer material to manufacture the temperature indicating label; b, heating the temperature indicating label to make it achieve or exceed the initial temperature of glass transition or melting transition but be lower than the terminal temperature of glass transition or melting transition, then finishing the predeformation treatment; and c, placing the predeformed temperature indicating label into the environment which needs temperature indication for a while, observing whether spontaneous shape recovery happens to the label and judging whether the environment temperature has once reached or exceeded the target temperature.

A temperature monitor is provided for use on a conveyor belt. The temperature monitor includes a first wall and a second wall. The first wall and the second wall are generally parallel to one another. The temperature monitor also includes a first anchor and a second anchor. The first wall is attached to the first anchor at a first end and the first wall is attached to the second anchor at a second end. The second wall is attached to the first anchor at a first end and the second wall is attached to the second anchor at a second end. The temperature monitor further includes a temperature deformation mechanism defined between the first wall and the second wall. The temperature deformation mechanism is altered in an instance in which a predetermined temperature is reached. A method of manufacturing a temperature monitor and a temperature monitor system are also provided.

A temperature monitor is provided for use on a conveyor belt. The temperature monitor includes a first wall and a second wall. The first wall and the second wall are generally parallel to one another. The temperature monitor also includes a first anchor and a second anchor. The first wall is attached to the first anchor at a first end and the first wall is attached to the second anchor at a second end. The second wall is attached to the first anchor at a first end and the second wall is attached to the second anchor at a second end. The temperature monitor further includes a temperature deformation mechanism defined between the first wall and the second wall. The temperature deformation mechanism is altered in an instance in which a predetermined temperature is reached. A method of manufacturing a temperature monitor and a temperature monitor system are also provided.

A linear detector element includes an outer sheath having a first end and a second end, one or more shape memory responsive elements within the outer sheath and between the first end and the second end and first and second conductive wires passing through at least a portion of the outer sheath and through the one or more shape memory responsive elements. The one more shape memory responsive elements include a shape memory actuator surrounding the first and second conductive wires and that has an expanded size and a contracted size and that is sized and arranged such that when the shape memory actuator is in the contracted state the first and second conductive wires contact one another and when the shape memory actuator is in the expanded state the first and second conductive wires do not contact one another.

A composite comprising an upper layer and a substrate layer, wherein the upper layer comprises a shape-memory polymeric material having a glass transition temperature T.sub.g,SMP and being at least partially transparent for light in the VIS-range, characterized in that the upper layer comprises a surface, wherein the surface is at least partially a rough surface having an arithmetic average roughness R.sub.a of at least 0.1 m.