Abstract

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thermal actuator activated by conductive heating of an electrically conductive material, the actuator including: a first non-conductive strip of material attached to a substrate at a first end of the strip and adapted to apply a force to a load at a second end of the strip; a second conductive strip of material formed along one side of the first strip, the second conductive strip including a first wire strip running from substantially the first end to the second end and a second wire strip running from substantially the second end to the fist end, the wire strips being joined together at the second end so as to form a circuit, the wire strips being further connected to a controlled power supply at the first end such that activation of the controlled power supply causes heating of the conductive material so as to actuate the thermal actuator thereby applying a force to the load. Preferably, the first strip is in the form of a coil and the second conductive material is formed along a radial inner surface.