This teen from Massachusetts has developed technology that turns footsteps or any movement into usable electricity

A 12-year-old student from Cambridge, Massachusetts, has developed a technology that could help advance cleaner energy generation by capturing power from everyday movement.

Ahmed Abdelsalam, a sixth-grade student at Darby Vassall Upper School, created VERDA, an energy-harvesting system designed to capture power from sources such as walking.

His invention has earned him a place among the 10 finalists in the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge, a US national science competition for students aged 11 to 14. The annual competition recognises young innovators who use science and technology to develop solutions to real-world problems.


As a finalist, Ahmed will work with a 3M scientist over the summer to further develop his project before presenting it at the final competition in October. He will compete for a $25,000 grand prize and the title of "America's Top Young Scientist."

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Turning movement into energy

Ahmed's project is based on the concept of energy harvesting, which involves capturing energy generated from everyday movements or natural sources and converting it into usable electricity.

People walking, wind blowing and ocean waves all produce energy, much of which goes unused. Through VERDA, Ahmed aims to harness this otherwise wasted energy and turn it into a sustainable power source.

Ahmed said he developed VERDA because he wanted to apply science to address challenges related to clean energy and the environment. Explaining why he entered the competition, he told Young Scientist Lab, "I really enjoy coming up with ideas and using science to solve problems. I wanted to share my project and show that even a student can create an invention that could help people and the environment."

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"Since my project focuses on clean energy, this challenge felt right. I also wanted to push myself, learn from the experience, and grow as a young scientist. For me, this competition is not just about winning, but also about believing that my ideas can make a difference," he adds.

Inspired by Ahmed Zewail

Ahmed says he draws inspiration from scientists whose research has expanded understanding of the natural world. Among them is Nobel Prize-winning scientist Ahmed Zewail, whose pioneering work in femtochemistry transformed the study of chemical reactions.

Femtochemistry examines chemical reactions that occur over extremely short time scales, allowing scientists to observe molecular changes in unprecedented detail. Ahmed said he admires Zewail's work because it deepened scientific understanding of chemistry and opened the door to further discoveries.

Looking ahead, Ahmed hopes to become an inventor or engineer focused on developing technologies that improve lives while protecting the environment.

"In 15 years, I hope to be an inventor or engineer because I really enjoy coming up with ideas and testing how things work," he says.

He adds, "I want to make inventions that help people and protect the environment, especially by creating new clean energy technology. I hope I will still be curious, creative, and not afraid to try new things, because that is how big ideas can grow into something real."

Next step in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge

As part of the competition, Ahmed will be mentored by Abhishek Srivastava, an Advanced Research Specialist at 3M. Srivastava's work focuses on developing engineering solutions using mechanics, materials science and computational modelling.

Following the mentorship period, all 10 finalists will gather in St. Paul, Minnesota, on October 12 and 13 for the final round of the competition.

During the event, participants will take part in live challenges, present their projects and answer questions from a panel of judges. One finalist will be named "America's Top Young Scientist" and awarded the $25,000 grand prize.

Over the years, the competition has showcased projects addressing challenges in areas such as cybersecurity, coral reef conservation, water conservation, food safety, energy efficiency, air pollution and transportation.

Several former participants have gone on to receive national recognition. Gitanjali Rao became TIME's first-ever Kid of the Year in 2020, Liam McCarty was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2022, and Heman Bekele was named TIME's Kid of the Year in 2024.