TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OPPORTUNITY: Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)-Enabled Actuators (LEW-TOPS-153)

NASA’s Technology Transfer Program solicits inquiries from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. NASA provides no funding in conjunction with these potential licenses.THE TECHNOLOGY: Researchers at NASA Glenn pioneered and matured SMAs to enable future aircraft with morphing airfoil surfaces and adaptive wings that fold to respond to different flight condition demands. SMAs are functional metals with unique properties that can go through solid-state phase transformations (stretched, bent, heated, cooled) and recover their original shape. NASA now has two novel mechanical actuators with SMA transmission elements to move parts with rotational angular twisting, delivering the same power as traditional actuators but in a lightweight, smaller footprint form factor. The new rotary actuator and ring drive

actuator move in response to external stimuli, such as heating. The rotary actuator uses nested tubes of SMA to provide torque output or angular displacement; the ring drive actuator uses SMA tubes in a drive gear element to provide continual rotary output in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions. Despite the smaller footprint, the SMA tubes achieve higher power density and similar power output to larger actuators, enabling new designs based on compact actuators.To express interest in this opportunity, please submit a license application through NASA’s Automated Technology Licensing Application System (ATLAS) by visiting https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/LEW-TOPS-153If you have any questions, please e-mail NASA’s Technology Transfer Program at Agency-Patent-Licensing@mail.nasa.gov with the title of this Technology Transfer Opportunity as listed in this SAM.gov notice and your preferred contact information. For more information about licensing other NASA-developed technologies, please visit the NASA Technology Transfer Portal at https://technology.nasa.gov/These responses are provided to members of NASA’s Technology Transfer Program for the purpose of promoting public awareness of NASA-developed technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.