pulsewidthmodulated

Pulse-width modulation, often abbreviated as PWM, is a technique used to control the amount of power delivered to an electrical device by rapidly switching the power on and off. The width of each pulse of power, relative to the time between pulses, determines the average voltage and thus the power delivered. Imagine a light dimmer; instead of reducing the voltage continuously, PWM rapidly turns the light on and off very quickly. By making the "on" time longer or shorter within each cycle, the perceived brightness of the light changes.

This method is highly efficient because the switching element, such as a transistor, is either fully on or fully off, minimizing power dissipation as heat. This is in contrast to linear voltage regulators, which reduce voltage by dissipating excess energy as heat, making them less efficient. PWM is widely employed in various applications, including motor speed control in electric vehicles and robotics, dimming LEDs, controlling servo motors, and in power supplies for audio amplifiers and computer components. The frequency of the switching pulses is a key parameter, with higher frequencies generally leading to smoother output and less audible noise, but also requiring faster switching components.