Shape‐memory alloys have been engineered for applications and devices since the first discovery of the shape‐memory effect in the 1930s. The majority of this design activity was initiated by the discovery of Nitinol (nickel–titanium alloy) in 1962, and since then more than 10,000 patents have been issued for applications using shape‐memory alloys. This article reviews a number of these applications, discusses aspects of design, and illustrates representative examples.