Monday, Oct. 06, 1986

Business Notes Innovations

Wire eyeglass sidepieces that pop back to their pristine form when dipped in hot water. Brassieres that "remember" their original shape while tumbling in the clothes dryer. Both innovations are by-products of a special metal alloy with so-called shape memory, developed nearly 25 years ago by the U.S. military and now reaching consumers.

The unique eyeglasses were unveiled this month by Beta Phase, a Menlo Park, Calif., producer of the metal, and Universal Optical, the frame's distributor. The frames, which revert to their original shape at about 130 degreesF, will be available early next year in the same $80-to-$130 price range as conventional high-quality eyewear.

More intimate use of the alloy is made by Japan's Wacoal Corp., which last week began marketing its Memory Wire bras in the U.S. for about $30. The new product avoids a difficulty common to many regular wire bras, which can become twisted and more rigid after each washing. What next for the wonder metal? Says a manufacturer of the alloy: "A dented automobile fender that could be returned to new with a blow dryer sounds great, but it would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to produce."