Self-propelled Nanomotors in Smart Healthcare Systems

Self-propelled nanomotors represent one emerging class of autonomous nanosystems able to convert chemical, enzymatic, optical, magnetic, or acoustic energy into mechanical motion to enable precise navigation, active cargo transport, and intelligent biomedical functionalities. This chapter gives an in-depth overview of their architectural design, propulsion principles, strategies of targeting strategies, biosensing capability, and translational potential within smart healthcare ecosystems. Advanced Janus and asymmetric nanoarchitectures, stimuli-responsive materials, and AI-driven optimization have considerably improved propulsion efficiency, biocompatibility, imaging visibility, and adaptive behavior in complex physiological environments. The integration of nanomotors with microfluidics, biosensors, and IoMT platforms provides for real-time diagnostics, targeted therapeutic delivery, microinvasive intervention, and even closed-loop medical systems. Despite substantial progress so far, the clinical translation of nanomotors remains restricted due to obstacles in scalable fabrication, biosafety, regulatory validation, and reliable operation in vivo. This chapter points out some recent breakthroughs that are going to shape the future directions of intelligent nanomotor-based next-generation biomedical technology.