Electric fields for generating unconventional motion of small objects

Electric fields can be used in several ways to generate motion of objects. In this article, we focus on some more or less unconventional approaches, allowing in a direct or indirect way to design systems which show controlled motion, eventually combined with other functionalities such as light emission. We review some of the most recent results in this context with a special focus on bipolar electrochemistry as a straightforward approach for breaking symmetry, which is a necessary ingredient for any type of motion. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.