Abstract: A small displacement, preferably bidirectional motor (20) is provided which includes a chassis (22), main actuator assembly (24), and forward and rearward clutch assemblies (26,28), as well as an output (106-110) coupled to an external load (222) to be translated. The main actuator assembly (24) includes a plurality of primary magnetostrictive actuators (50-54). The clutch assemblies (26,28) each have a secondary magnetostrictive actuator (88,148), a ramp (90, 150) interengageable with a roller cage (136, 196), and are designed as passively-engaged, actively-disengaged, one-way clutches which are unloaded before disengagement thereof in order to prevent undue clutch wear. Forward translation of the output (106-110) is obtained by inchworm-type incremental motion, whereas rearward translation occurs by an initial forward motion followed by a greater rearward motion to achieve a net rearward displacement.