Open-loop controller

Imagine you have a toy car that you want to move forward. You have a remote control with buttons to make the car go faster or slower. When you press a button to go faster, you don't know how far or how fast the car will go until you see it move. This is like an open-loop controller.

An open-loop controller is like a remote control that sends signals to a machine or system to make it do something without any feedback. It is used to give a specific input command to a machine or system and it doesn't know or care about the result.

For example, a dishwasher has an open-loop controller that receives input commands from buttons or dials to start a cycle, but it doesn't check if the dishes are actually getting clean. Similarly, a thermostat in your home has an open-loop controller that tells your heater or air conditioner when to turn on or off based on the temperature you set, but it doesn't know if you are comfortable in the room.

Overall, an open-loop controller is like a one-way street where the signal goes from the controller to the machine, but there is no feedback or correction. It's simple and cheap, but not always accurate or reliable.