side optical switches 72a 72b 72c and 72d are actuated by optical energy received via optical fiber light pipes 71a 71b 71c and 71d the optical switches may be of the same sma construction as micro actuator 64 except that the thermal energy required to activate the sma elements is delivered by optical energy such as laser energy the optical energy would thereby be applied directly to the sma elements the source of hot gas for aircraft applications may be from the compressor 32 or the turbine section 36 of the gas turbine engine 30 as shown in fig3 and 4 to minimize engine efficiency penalties the preferable source of hot gas is from the turbine section 36 in an alternate embodiment the sma elements 68a and 68b may be activated directly by the application of optical or laser energy thereby eliminating the need to route a hot gas from its engine source to a microactuator actuator remote therefrom referring again to fig3 in such an alternate embodiment optical energy may be selectively applied to sma elements 68a and or 68b through optical fibers 71 fig3 connected directly to assembly 64 inplace of hot gas inlet and exhaust pipes the optical energy alternately applied to 68a or 68b through optical fibers 71 will cause the same movement of actuator ram as 54 as in the hot gas embodiment a pair of sma actuator assemblies 52 as illustrated in fig3 may be configured as illustrated in fig4 wherein each respective actuator ram 64.