Potentiometers are commonly used to control electrical devices

Potentiometers are commonly used to control electrical devices such as volume controls on audio equipment. Potentiometers operated by a mechanism can be used as linear position transducer, for example, in a joystick. potentiometer rotary position sensors are rarely used to directly control significant power (more than a watt), since the power dissipated in the potentiometer would be comparable to the power in the controlled load.