The project I’ve developed has incorporated the two most important innovations in science: smart materials and energy conversions. The nickel-titanium alloy – nitinol has an incredible property of shape retention that enables it to return to its programmable shape when the heat exceeds its activation temperature. The possibilities for such a material are endless.

I am continuing the development of a motor – relying not on electricity or fossil fuels but on the difference in temperature between the heated water and air – two very abundant substances. I have also created a demonstration of nitinol’s superelasticity that enables it to retain shape and flexibility while reducing its overall weight. This is being fostered in two very prominent fields: medication and flight where nitinol implants have the biocompatibility and corrosion resistance which was mostly unheard of in a metal. Nitinol’s superelasticity and lightweight has many uses in flight where maintaining structure yet keeping weight low are highly essential.

I am in the works of creating a robot running entirely on smart materials where I would use nitinol springs like human muscles – using two of them to contract on opposite sides of joint will allow multiple axes of movement enabling for the first time a nitinol-based humanoid robot.