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Actuator

Idealogic’s Glossary

Actuator - a device that converts the control signal and commands of a digitally controlled system into a physical action. The energy is passed through an electrical circuit to generate motion, it does so by moving electricity. In mobile devices, actualization can often be seen in the case of vibration motors; they perform motions as a result of digital inputs.

Actuators are used by software development engineers to enable programs to be active in the physical world, meaning that software is not limited to zones within the computer. In connection with this, the work of actuators can be widely applied in certain fields, for example, robotics and mechanical engineering where they fulfill certain operational work.

Actuators are the part of the system which make the connection between the digital processes and the real world through the execution of tasks. This capability makes it possible for software to control actual physical processes in the real world, and this is where actuators are useful in a number of applications that go beyond mere computation. For instance, in robotics, actuators are employed in the motion of the robotic arms and the right and expected movement is produced by following the set software commands. This is because actuators are very much useful in industries that involve automation of production and high precision such as the manufacturing industries, automobile industries and aircraft industries among others.

In addition, actuators are not only used in industries; they play an important role in consumer use products as well. In smartphones for instance, actuators are used to give the feedback feeling that users get when they are touching the screen, which enhances the user interface. With the development of the technology, the function of actuators has not only become broader but also interacts with the advanced software to work on the more complicated operations. This evolution shows that actuators are of essence in bridging the gap between the software and the hardware thus enabling the software to control the physical world.