It works by a control mechanism called negative feedback, and the thermostat is measuring the temperature and then sending a signal to a heater somewhere.

是通过一种叫做负反馈的控制机制,探测器测量温度,再把信号传给加热器

耶鲁公开课 - 生物医学工程探索课程节选

For example, the thermostat in your dorm room.

比如,你卧室里的恒温器

耶鲁公开课 - 生物医学工程探索课程节选

Maybe you don't control thermostats in your dorm room, some of you do and some of you don't probably, and maybe it doesn't work very well so it might not be a good example, but imagine a perfect thermostat that you set for a temperature and then the temperature stays the same inside the room no matter what the temperature is outside.

可能你根本就不理卧室里的恒温器,有些人去调它,有些人就置之不理,可能它压根就是坏的,所以这个例子也许并不恰当,但你还是想象一个完美运行的恒温器,你设定温度后房间里的温度就保持不变,不管外面温度是多少

耶鲁公开课 - 生物医学工程探索课程节选