What does servomechanism mean?
A servomechanism is a control system that automatically corrects its output so that a variable remains close to a desired value. It works by comparing the actual state of the system with a target and adjusting power or motion to reduce the difference. This feedback principle makes such mechanisms useful in industrial machinery, robotics, aircraft controls, camera tracking, and temperature regulation. The word combines “servo,” a combining form associated with service or control, with “mechanism,” meaning a system of interacting parts. Although “servomechanism” can describe the overall feedback-controlled arrangement, “servo” more often refers to a particular actuator or control component within it. The concept is closely related to automatic control but specifically highlights the use of measured error and corrective action.
nounA mechanism that uses feedback to control a machine or system and maintain a desired condition, such as a position, speed, or temperature. It is commonly used in automation, robotics, aircraft, and industrial control systems.
- A feedback-controlled mechanical, electromechanical, or computerized system that regulates a variable according to a desired target.
- A device that uses an error signal and corrective power to drive an output toward a specified position or condition.
"The servomechanism adjusted the antenna automatically as the satellite changed position."
"The servomechanism keeps the camera pointed at the telescope as it tracks a distant object."
"A thermostat can be understood as a simple servomechanism because it adjusts the heating system in response to changes in temperature."
The plural is servomechanisms.
"The engineer calibrated the servomechanisms before testing the automated assembly line."
A servomechanism is the idea behind self-correcting machines: it continuously measures what is happening and adjusts its output to keep things on target.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does servomechanism come from?
The prefix “servo-” comes through French from Latin servus, meaning “slave,” and reflects an older metaphor of a subordinate power serving another. The second element “mechanism” comes from Greek mēkhanē, meaning “machine” or “device,” through Latin and French. The combined term developed in engineering to describe control systems in which an automatic corrective action is driven by feedback.
How servomechanism is actually used
The term is most common in engineering, automation, robotics, and aerospace. In general technical discussion, it may be distinguished from a broader automatic control system by its emphasis on feedback and corrective action.
Easily confused with servomechanism
A servomechanism is the complete feedback-controlled mechanism, whereas a servo is typically the actuator or control device that operates within it.