is varied in particular fig5 is an example of the stiffness variation as a function of profile thickness generated by a computer simulation embodiments of the subject disclosure may comprise shape memory alloys shape memory alloys sma 39 s generally refer to a group of metallic materials that demonstrate the ability to return to some previously defined shape or size when subjected to an appropriate thermal stimulus shape memory alloys are capable of undergoing phase transitions in which their yield strength stiffness dimension and or shape are altered as a function of temperature the term u201c yield strength u201d refers to the stress at which a material exhibits a specified deviation from proportionality of stress and strain generally in the low temperature or martensite phase m shape memory alloys can be plastically deformed and upon exposure to some higher temperature will transform to an austenite phase or parent phase p returning to their shape prior to the deformation materials that exhibit this shape memory effect only upon heating are referred to as having one way shape memory shape memory alloys in one non limiting example nitinol is a nickel titanium shape memory alloy which can be formed and annealed deformed at a low temperature and recalled to its original shape with heating nitinol has the ability to recover a large amount of plastic deformation upon exposure to a temperature.