An old patent inspired the new "Y-zipper", a three-sided fastener

	An old patent inspired the new "Y-zipper", a three-sided fastener(news.mit.edu)
	276 points by crescit_eundo 3 days ago \| 46 comments
	tl;dr: MIT CSAIL researchers revived a rejected 1985 patent from professor William Freeman for a three-sided "Y-zipper" that transforms objects between flexible and rigid states. They built a software tool that lets users customize the zipper's shape (straight, bent, coiled, or twisted) and 3D-prints it in plastic, with prototypes surviving 18,000 open/close cycles. Potential applications include rapid tent assembly, adjustable medical casts, shape-shifting robots, and disaster relief shelters.
	HN Discussion: ↓The concept is not novel and resembles prior art like zipper masts or rigid chain actuators ↑Excited about creative applications like self-assembling satellites, robot limbs, or better tape measures ↓The tent application seems impractical due to weight and lack of wind resistance ~Frustration that MIT announces software tools but doesn't make them openly available ~Questioning the practicality and use cases of the zipper design