Presented herein are methods of using ferrofluid droplets as mechanical actuators that work across length scales of nanometers to millimeters. These novel actuators and methods of using them can be used to determine mechanical properties of soft materials. The actuators allow calculation of a soft material's viscosity, elastic modulus, and other mechanical properties. The methods and devices of the invention may be employed in biological materials, including live cells and tissues, and may be used to profile the mechanical properties of such living materials or to manipulate biological processes therein.
