SENSOR

1. A DEVICE THAT RESPONDS TO A PHYSICAL STIMULUS (SUCH AS HEAT,

LIGHT, SOUND, PRESSURE, MAGNETISM, OR A PARTICULAR MOTION) AND
TRANSMITS A RESULTING IMPULSE (AS FOR MEASUREMENT OR OPERATING A
CONTROL)
2. A DEVICE WHICH DETECTS OR MEASURES A PHYSICAL PROPERTY AND
RECORDS, INDICATES, OR OTHERWISE RESPONDS TO IT.
3. IN THE BROADEST DEFINITION, A SENSOR IS A DEVICE, MODULE,
MACHINE, OR SUBSYSTEM WHOSE PURPOSE IS TO DETECT EVENTS OR CHANGES
IN ITS ENVIRONMENT AND SEND THE INFORMATION TO OTHER ELECTRONICS,
FREQUENTLY A COMPUTER PROCESSOR. A SENSOR IS ALWAYS USED WITH
OTHER ELECTRONICS.
MY OWN DEFINITION:
A SENSOR IS A DEVICE THAT CAN DETECT AND RESPONDS TO A PHYSICAL
MOVEMENTS OR CHANGES IN ITS ENVIRONMENT AND RECORD, AND THEN
SENDS INFORMATIONS TO OTHER ELECTRONICS.

ACTUATOR
1. AN ACTUATOR IS A COMPONENT OF A MACHINE THAT IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR MOVING AND CONTROLLING A MECHANISM OR SYSTEM, FOR EXAMPLE BY
OPENING A VALVE. IN SIMPLE TERMS, IT IS A "MOVER".
2. ACTUATORS ARE MECHANICAL OR ELECTRO-MECHANICAL DEVICES
THAT PROVIDE CONTROLLED AND SOMETIMES LIMITED MOVEMENTS OR
POSITIONING WHICH ARE OPERATED ELECTRICALLY, MANUALLY, OR BY
VARIOUS FLUIDS SUCH AS AIR, HYDRAULIC, ETC
3. AN ACTUATOR REQUIRES A CONTROL SIGNAL AND A SOURCE OF
ENERGY. THE CONTROL SIGNAL IS RELATIVELY LOW ENERGY AND MAY BE
ELECTRIC VOLTAGE OR CURRENT, PNEUMATIC OR HYDRAULIC PRESSURE, OR
EVEN HUMAN POWER
MY OWN DEFINITION:
AN ACTUATOR IS A MECHANISM BY WHICH A CONTROL SYSTEM ACTS
UPON AN ENVIRONMENT. IT IS SOMETHING THAT CONVERTS ENERGY INTO
MOTION. IT ALSO CAN BE USED TO APPLY A FORCE. AN ACTUATOR TYPICALLY
IS A MECHANICAL DEVICE THAT TAKES ENERGY, USUALLY ENERGY THAT IS
CREATED BY AIR, ELECTRICITY OR LIQUID AND CONVERTS IT INTO SOME KIND
OF MOTION.