
Transistors are like switches; they can be opened to let air flow through the white tubes, and closed to stop the air from flowing. This opening and closing is done by another airflow (blue tube).
The transistor has no directionality; air can flow in either direction through the white tubes.
Transistors are often used to:
- Control airflow in one circuit by air from another circuit. This can be particularly useful when building control loops: a circuit (which goes through the white tubes) needs to perform a certain action until the airflow is stopped by pressure on the blue tube.
How does it work?

The tube inside the transistor is initially unkinked, so air can flow. As the pressure builds up inside the transistor from the airflow through the gate tube, two volumes on either side of a small tube inflate. As the volumes inflate, the tube is pushed from either side, and eventually it kinks. Once it kinks, the tube is completely closed and no air can flow through. When pressure is released from the gate tube, the volumes can deflate again, and the tube will unkink, thus letting air flow through again.
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