
A control system typically comprises of a computer or microprocessormicroprocessor: an integrated circuit that contains all or most of the individual elements of a central processing unit (CPU), a control programprogram: a list of instructions written in a programming language which handles datadata: information without context, eg a list of students with numbers beside their names is data, when it's made clear that those numbers represent their placing in a 100 metre race, the data becomes information from sensorssensor: an automatic input device that continuously monitors a set of computer controlled parameters, eg a parking sensor detects how close a vehicle is to the nearest object and alerts the driver if the distance falls outside of the specified parameters and sends signals to output devicesoutput device: a device used to output data or information from a computer, eg a monitor, printer or speakers and an interface box to convert signals between the sensors and the processorprocessor: shorthand for central processing unit (CPU).
Computers are now used to control many types of devices such as: