An actuator is an electro-mechanical device that translates electrical energy into motion. A DC motor is a perfect example of a basic actuator. Similarly, servo motors, stepper motors, and hydraulic arm levers are all examples of actuators that are used heavily in the world of hardware automation and robotics.
DC motors are of two main types: brushed and brushless. There are fundamental differences in the way brushed and brushless motors are designed. To think of it in a very simple manner, brushed DC motors make use of physical contact points, known as brushes, between their current supply and the Commutator (the motor part responsible for causing the rotor to move). Whereas, brushless DC motors do not use physical brushes; instead they usually use multiple permanent magnets around the rotor, but not in direct contact. Brushed motors are the commonly found low...