A nanomotor is a molecular device capable of converting energy into movement and forces on the order of the pico-newtons.

A proposed branch of research is the integration of molecular motor proteins found in living cells into molecular motors implanted in artificial devices. Such a motor protein would be able to move a “cargo” within that device, similarly to how kinesin moves various molecules along tracks of microtubules inside cells.

Starting and stopping the movement of such motor proteins would involve caging the ATP in molecular structures sensitive to UV light, pulses of UV illumination would thus provide pulses of movement.