This disclosure relates DNA based movement of objects. In certain embodiments, particles, pairs of particles, or a rods are conjugated with single stranded DNA that hybridizes to a single stranded RNA that is conjugated to a substrate. When the DNA particle, pair of particles, or rod interacts with the surface RNA in the presence of an endonuclease, such as RNase H and the DNA hybridizes to the RNA, then the particle, pair of particle, or rod moves along the surface. The complementarity of the DNA and RNA affect the velocity.