Multistable zipping actuator image sets

We demonstrate programmable multistable electrostatic zipping actuators achieved through engineered shaping of the fixed-electrode profile. We realize actuators that exhibit two, three, or more discrete, voltage-addressable stable states, with activation thresholds on the order of 100 V, and further highlight application opportunities: (i) micrometer-precision multi-positioning actuators, and (ii) threshold-sensitive mechanical switches. These results establish profile engineering as a general strategy for encoding mechanical logic directly into surface geometry—shifting system complexity from active electronics into passive structure.