fastener

In 1985, Bill Freeman’s three-sided zipper was rejected and left in his garage; 40 years later, MIT revived it as a shape-shifting fastener

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In 1985, Bill Freeman's three-sided zipper was rejected and left in his garage; 40 years later, MIT revived it as a shape-shifting fastener

In 1985, electrical engineer Bill Freeman imagined a zipper that could do more than join two pieces of material. His three-sided design used a slider to bring three strips together, potentially changing the shape and stiffness of objects. The idea was rejected by an innovation fund, but Freeman patented the mechanism and kept his prototype … Read more