In an inspiring tale of youthful innovation, 13-year-old Maya Thompson, a middle school student from San Jose, has invented a palm-sized device that converts ambient heat into usable electricity—a breakthrough that has stunned scientists and energy experts alike.
Using a unique blend of thermoelectric materials and nano-scale circuitry, Maya’s invention can draw low-grade heat from surroundings—such as sunlight, human skin, or even warm air—and transform it into enough power to charge small electronics like LED lights, smartwatches, or emergency radios.
“I was tired of seeing batteries being thrown away,” said Maya, who began working on her prototype during a school science project. “So I thought, why not use the heat we waste every day?”
Her project, now named “ThermoGenie,” has already won top honors at the International Youth Science and Invention Expo 2025 and is being evaluated for patent approval. Several tech companies and environmental organizations have reached out to Maya with offers for collaboration and funding.
Experts believe her technology could revolutionize off-grid power, especially in rural or disaster-struck areas with limited electricity access.
“This level of ingenuity at such a young age is rare,” said Dr. Priya Nair, a sustainable energy researcher at Stanford. “Maya’s device could pave the way for greener, self-powered electronics.”
Maya dreams of scaling her invention to help low-income communities worldwide and has pledged to keep the technology affordable and open-source.
