Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

A  |  B  |  C  |  D  |  E  |  F  |  G  |  H  |  I  |  J  |  K  |  L  |  M  |  N  |  O  |  P  |  Q  |  R  |  S  |  T  |  U  |  V  |  W  |  X  |  Y  |  Z

actuator

Definitions:

  A device for moving or controlling a mechanism or system. It is operated by a source of energy, typically electric current, hydraulic fluid pressure, or pneumatic pressure, and converts that energy into motion. An actuator is the mechanism by which a control system acts upon an environment. The control system can be simple (a fixed mechanical or electronic system), software-based (e.g., a printer driver, robot control system), or a human or other agent.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-82r3
NISTIR 8183 from NIST SP 800-82r3
NISTIR 8183 Rev. 1 from NIST SP 800-82r3
NISTIR 8183A Vol. 1

  A portion of an IoT device capable of changing something in the physical world.
Sources:
NISTIR 8259 from NISTIR 8228