actuator

noun ac·tu·a·tor \ ˈak-chə-ˌwā-tər , -shə- \

|Updated on: 17 Jun 2018

Definition of actuator

: one that actuates; specifically : a mechanical device for moving or controlling something

Recent Examples of actuator from the Web

Using independent actuators, motors and lightweight conformal structures, lithium ion battery powered FORTIS allows soldiers to carry 180 pounds up five flights of stairs while expending less energy.

— kris osborn, Fox News, "Army prototypes new self-powering 'Iron Man' soldier suits," 6 June 2018
Well, Atlas doesn’t come without its downsides: Its hydraulic actuators are strong, yet necessarily bulky.

— matt simon, WIRED, "The Lab Making Robots Walk Through Fire and Ride Segways," 25 Apr. 2018
The team's innovation is a dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator adhesive strip that can stick to the surface of wind turbine blades, plane wings and truck trailers.

— justin madden, cleveland.com, "300-gallon spill closes portion of I-480, police say," 19 Apr. 2018
To ensure the roof’s 500 parts, including a six-cylinder hydraulic actuator, can survive a lifetime on the road, engineers open and close it endlessly, aiming to cycle it up and down 6,000 times without a hiccup.

— alex davies, WIRED, "Unfold the Complex Engineering of Aston Martin's Super Swanky Convertible," 9 May 2018
Today, modules, sensors and actuators are extremely well-shielded and should not be subject to such ghosts.

— bob weber, chicagotribune.com, "Could a ghost house cause a car to stall?," 8 Apr. 2018
Another design, dubbed a Peano-HASEL actuator, is made of three small, rectangular pouches strung together.

— National Geographic, "This Artificial Muscle Costs 10 Cents to Make. And It’s As Strong As an Elephant.," 5 Jan. 2018
When activated with an electric control system, the plasma actuator controls the air flowing around the body, which increases overall efficiency by up to 4 percent.

— justin madden, cleveland.com, "300-gallon spill closes portion of I-480, police say," 19 Apr. 2018
The direction of the force on the actuator is independent of the direction of force connecting the leads.

— eric limer, Popular Mechanics, "Listen to the Musical Clicks of a 60-Year-Old Keyboard Switch," 8 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'actuator.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.