Around the House
This device compares the room temperature to your desired temperature and turns heating or cooling on or off.
What is a thermostat?
This car feature keeps your vehicle near a chosen speed, even when hills or wind try to change it.
What is cruise control?
This system uses a floating part to stop water flow once the tank reaches the correct level.
What is a toilet tank float valve?
This phone feature uses a light sensor to make your screen brighter outside and dimmer in a dark room.
What is automatic screen brightness?
This is the value you want the system to reach, like setting a thermostat to 72°F.
What is a setpoint?
This appliance keeps food cold by sensing temperature and turning a cooling system on when the inside gets too warm.
What is a refrigerator?
This safety system rapidly adjusts brake pressure to help prevent wheels from locking during hard braking.
What is anti-lock braking system, or ABS?
This fixture senses your hands and turns water on without touching a handle.
What is an automatic sink faucet?
This device turns a light on when it senses movement nearby.
What is a motion sensor light?
This is the actual measured value, such as the room currently being 76°F.
What is the process variable?
This appliance tries to reach and maintain a selected cooking temperature, sometimes heating past the target if it reacts too strongly.
What is an oven?
These red, yellow, and green signals control the flow of cars through an intersection.
What are traffic lights?
This device keeps fish tank water warm by turning heat on when the water gets too cold.
What is an aquarium heater?
These open when they detect a person approaching and close after the person passes through.
What are automatic doors?
This is an unexpected change that pushes a system away from its target, like opening a refrigerator door.
What is a disturbance?
This machine controls water level, wash time, spin speed, and sometimes load balance to clean clothes.
What is a washing machine?
This system moves people between floors and uses sensors to stop at the correct level.
What is an elevator?
This outdoor system turns water on and off at certain times or based on moisture to keep grass watered.
What is a sprinkler system?
This safety device detects smoke particles and activates an alarm.
What is a smoke detector?
This happens when the system corrects too much and goes past the target.
What is overshoot?
This system removes heat from indoor air to keep a room or building near the selected temperature.
What is an air conditioner?
This car system keeps the engine from getting too hot by circulating coolant and using fans or a radiator.
What is the car engine cooling system?
This large storage system helps maintain water supply and pressure for homes and buildings.
What is a water tower?
This wearable device uses sensors to estimate heart rate, movement, steps, or sleep patterns.
What is a smart watch?
This is the repeated process of measuring what is happening, comparing it to the target, correcting, and checking again.
What is feedback control?