Shape memory actuators for medical rehabilitation and neuroscience

......Taking the move from these key ideas, this Chapter will discuss some innovative uses and some implemented examples of biomedical devices based on the Shape Memory Effect (SME), explaining their advantages and limitations. In particular, it will address the following main topics: analysis of the relevant literature and background; the derivation of technical constraints and required material properties given the expected biomechanical and or clinical cases; the mathematical design of sample actuators and their implementations; ideas for their clinical application and control. It is important to notice that these same concepts can be easily transferred to other important industrial engineering fields. .......