bistable

[ bahy-stey-buhl ]

adjective

1. (of an electric or electronic circuit) having two stable states.

bistable

/ baɪˈsteɪbəl /

adjective

1. having two stable states

   bistable circuit

noun

1. computing another name for flip-flop

Word History and Origins

Origin of bistable¹

First recorded in 1945–50; bi- ¹ + stable ²

Example Sentences

Nike made a splash in 2021 when it introduced the Go FlyEase, which were hands-free sneakers featuring a bistable hinge.

From The Verge

The Go FlyEase made a splash when it was first introduced thanks to its bistable hinge.

From The Verge

Those sneakers featured a “bistable hinge” that allowed a person to put on and take off the shoe hands-free.

From The Verge

However, instead of that shoe’s “bistable hinge,” Nike said the Glide FlyEase has a flexible heel.

From The Verge

The core innovation here is a so-called bistable hinge that lets the shoe move between two positions: an upright one in which the inner sole of the shoe sits at a roughly 30-degree angle so you can easily slip your foot in, and the collapsed position in which the outer layer sits snugly around the inner one while you walk or run.

From The Verge