Auto-Fitting Smart Materials and Electronics Platform Technologies
Overview
NAMI has developed eMuscle, which employs shape memory polymers as the raw materials to produce various kinds of products with auto fitting, tensioning and fixation functions.
Commercialisation opportunities
Non-exclusive licensing
Problem addressed
Elastic polymer materials are widely used as they can be easily stretched or squeezed, and bounce back to their original shape. However, the fabricated product shape is permanent without reconfiguration ability, lacking auto-fitting properties. NAMI’s eMuscle is thus developed to produce various kinds of products with auto fitting, tensioning and fixation functions.
Innovation
- Through the molecular design of the shape memory polymers of eMuscle, the shape recovery/fixation temperature is tunable.
- With the high reversible elongation ratio and tunable recovery temperature of the material, auto fitting and auto tensioning and fixation functions are realized.
Key impact
- High reversible elongation ratio
- Tunable shape recovery/fixation temperature
- Easy for mass production
- Easy for applications on different products
Award
- Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury at the “2021 Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions”
Application
- Rehabilitation devices like adjustable splints
- Toys with shape memory effect
- Auto tensioning function for wearable electronics products
- Shape memory foam with auto fitting function
Nano and Advanced Materials Institute (NAMI)
As a Materials Expert, Nano and Advanced Materials Institute (NAMI) has a strong portfolio of innovative technologies to support and collaborate with the industry, offering frontier-applied research on advanced materials as well as technology transfer for commercialization success.
NAMI, incorporated in 2006, is designated by the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong Government as a Research and Development Center for nanotechnology and advanced materials. NAMI undertakes and provides support for market-driven research in nanotechnology and advanced materials, and strives for commercialization of the technologies to benefit the industry and the society at large, as well as re-industrialization to promote the economic growth and sustainability of Hong Kong.
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