MIT's Y-Zipper Turns Flexible Strips Into Rigid Beams
MIT's CSAIL has turned Bill Freeman's 1985 three-sided zipper idea into a practical device: a 3D-printed, reversible Y-Zipper that links three flexible strips into a rigid, load-bearing triangle when zipped, with software-driven customization for length, bend, and motion modes, enabling rapid deployment in camping gear, medical devices, robotics, space, and disaster relief.