Living systems sense and react to different stimuli from their environment. This communication is particularly important when it is associated to the decision between remaining at a given position or moving to a different location. Relevant examples are (i) cell migration in morphogenesis, tissue regeneration or cancer progression, (ii) bacterial biofilm formation on biomedical devices, or (iii) attachment, locomotion and migratory decisions in the animal world. Different chemical, physical and topographical signals over a wide range of concentration, time- and length scales can influence motility at cellular, multicellular and whole animal level. By combining light triggers with nanofabrication approaches, we develop strategies for controlled and external regulation of these factors. These tools are applied to the study, quantification and mimicking of advanced hypothesis in cell adhesion and motility and in animal attachment and locomotion.