An apparatus comprising: a housing (450, 1450); an input shaft (402, 1402, 1502) arranged and configured to receive a rotary input; an output shaft (404, 1404); a planetary gear module (406, 1406, 1506) including a sun gear (412, 1412, 1512) coupled to the input shaft (402, 1402, 1502), a planet carrier (416, 1416, 1516) coupled to the output shaft (404, 1404); an outer ring (418, 1418, 1518), and planet gears (414, 1414, 1514) meshed with the sun gear (412, 1412, 1512) and the outer ring (418, 1418, 1518), wherein the outer ring (418, 1418, 1518) is moveable relative to the housing (450, 1450); and an application-specific module (410, 1410) coupled to the housing (450, 1450) and arranged and configured to influence movement of the outer ring (418, 1418, 1518) relative to the housing (450, 1450); and the application-specific module (410, 1410) further comprises a brake (902, 1210, 1610) to selectively permit rotation of the outer ring (418, 1418, 1518) of the planetary gear module (406, 1406, 1506) and to selectively inhibit rotation of the outer ring (418, 1418, 1518) of the planetary gear module (406, 1406, 1506); the apparatus further comprises an actuator (106, 106a, 106b) having an actuator input shaft; the actuator input shaft being coupled to the output shaft of the planetary gear module, in that the actuator (106, 106a, 106b) is a screw type actuator; whereby the actuator (106, 106a, 106b) is a linear actuator (106, 106a, 106b) further comprising: transmission rollers coupled to the actuator input shaft; and an output rod coupled to the transmission rollers, wherein the transmission rollers are arranged and configured to translate the output rod along a linear axis upon rotation of the actuator input shaft. a housing (450, 1450); an input shaft (402, 1402, 1502) arranged and configured to receive a rotary input; an output shaft (404, 1404); a planetary gear module (406, 1406, 1506) including a sun gear (412, 1412, 1512) coupled to the input shaft (402, 1402, 1502), a planet carrier (416, 1416, 1516) coupled to the output shaft (404, 1404); an outer ring (418, 1418, 1518), and planet gears (414, 1414, 1514) meshed with the sun gear (412, 1412, 1512) and the outer ring (418, 1418, 1518), wherein the outer ring (418, 1418, 1518) is moveable relative to the housing (450, 1450); and an application-specific module (410, 1410) coupled to the housing (450, 1450) and arranged and configured to influence movement of the outer ring (418, 1418, 1518) relative to the housing (450, 1450); and the application-specific module (410, 1410) further comprises a brake (902, 1210, 1610) to selectively permit rotation of the outer ring (418, 1418, 1518) of the planetary gear module (406, 1406, 1506) and to selectively inhibit rotation of the outer ring (418, 1418, 1518) of the planetary gear module (406, 1406, 1506); the apparatus further comprises an actuator (106, 106a, 106b) having an actuator input shaft; the actuator input shaft being coupled to the output shaft of the planetary gear module, in that the actuator (106, 106a, 106b) is a screw type actuator; whereby the actuator (106, 106a, 106b) is a linear actuator (106, 106a, 106b) further comprising: transmission rollers coupled to the actuator input shaft; and an output rod coupled to the transmission rollers, wherein the transmission rollers are arranged and configured to translate the output rod along a linear axis upon rotation of the actuator input shaft. transmission rollers coupled to the actuator input shaft; and an output rod coupled to the transmission rollers, wherein the transmission rollers are arranged and configured to translate the output rod along a linear axis upon rotation of the actuator input shaft.