ANN ARBOR—Scientists looked to ferns to create a novel energy scavenging device that uses the power of evaporation to move itself — materials that could provide a method for powering micro and nano devices with just water or heat.

“We’ve shown that this idea works,” said Michel Maharbiz, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science and principal investigator in the group that built the device. “If you build these things they will move. The key is to show that you can generate electricity from this. “

As often happens, the research started while doctoral student Ruba Borno was exploring another idea entirely. Borno was interested in mimicking biological devices, specifically microchannels that plants use to transport water, so Maharbiz gave her a book on plants.

But something else in the book caught her attention