…The discovery expands how motors and actuation systems can be designed. Most electromagnetic motors today depend on magnets and copper coils. This new approach can create motion without magnets or rare earth metals, which could be valuable in a world where material resources are limited.

The design could also be lighter and simpler. Since the rotating component can be made from resin instead of metal, devices may become lighter and faster to respond. That could help in robotics, compact machines, and precision systems.

Because the motor does not depend on magnetic fields, it may also work well in places where magnetic noise causes problems, including medical equipment and data storage devices…