Redesigning the modern applied medical sciences and engineering with shape memory polymers

The shape memory polymers (SMPs) are one of the most evolved classes of stimuli-responsive polymers that can attain a temporary shape and retrace back to the original shape when excited with a stimulus. The advantages of these materials being lightweight and possessing high strain recovery ability make them one of the most vogue materials in the realms of applied medical sciences. The following perspective is an author’s reflection on how these materials have evolved since its inception. Moreover, the article revisits some of the growing trends in the area of these smart materials, touching upon the latest developments, such as 4D printed SMPs. In an attempt to blend both the applications and the technology, the perspective provides a succinct overview of the expanding boundaries of the SMPs employed to fabricate medical devices. To illustrate the versatility of shape morphing polymers in the applied medical sciences and biomedicine including vascular, orthopedic, and neuronal applications