Electromagnetic heating of a shape memory alloy translator

The active part of a linear translator is a shape memory alloy (SMA) made of nickel and titanium (NiTi) wire which is to be thermally cycled. We have achieved heating using electromagnetic radiation with a magnetic sheath and low-frequency waves at 8 kHz and without magnetic sheath and radio frequency waves at 28 MHz. The heating is equivalent for these two arrangements. In vitro experiments have been confirmed by computer simulations of the radiation distribution within the implant. We thus show that electromagnetic radiation could specifically heat a NiTi wire inside a stainless steel tube without heating the tube. An application could be a femoral prosthesis for the lengthening of the bone.