When we think of zippers, we think of a 2D structure that allows users to fasten two parts of a garment. Pulling a slider up and down between two rows of teeth that face each other allows the zipper to close and open smoothly. Applying the same concept to a fastening device that has three sides would result in a 3D zipper that can be used to quickly close or open structures that could benefit from such a mechanism. Such a device is called a "Y-zipper," and it existed only as a concept until recently. Demonstrated and patented over 40 years ago, the original Y-zipper wasn't easy to manufacture. But present-day 3D printing technology allowed the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) researchers to bring it back to life and turn the Y-zipper concept into a product that could one day be manufactured at scale for specific scenarios. According to MIT News , William Freeman was an electrical engineer at Polaroid in 1985 when he entered a competition from the Innovative Design Fund.…