Applications not specific to superconductivity

These applications exploit the high current densities permissible in superconductors. By significantly reducing the mass and footprint of resistive devices (electric motors and generators, transformers), superconductivity offers numerous opportunities in fields such as embedded devices, where weight reduction and space saving remain two prime objectives. The cryogenic environment associated with superconductors means that the superconducting solution only becomes interesting beyond a certain size, known as the critical size.

Cryogenics could appear problematic for these applications, where constraints are strong, such as shock resistance, and where reliability is paramount. These aspects are restrictive, but do not constitute a lock. Cryogenics is now a technique used successfully in the space industry, where the requirements are particularly stringent.