The present paper is concerned with the design of distributed sensors and actuators. Strain type sensors and actuators are considered with their intensity continuously distributed throughout a continuous structure. The sensors measure a weighted average of the strain tensor. As a starting point for their design we introduce the concept of collocated sensors and actuators as well as the so-called natural output. Then we utilize the principle of virtual work for an auxiliary quasi-static problem to assign a mechanical interpretation to the natural output of the sensors to be designed. Therefore, we take the virtual displacements in the principle of virtual work as that part of the displacement in the original problem, which characterizes the deviation from a desired one. We introduce different kinds of distributed sensors, each of them with a mechanical interpretation other than a weighted average of the strain tensor. Additionally, we assign a mechanical interpretation to the collocated actuators as well; for that purpose we use an extended body force analogy. The sensors and actuators are applied to solve the displacement tracking problem for continuous structures; i.e., the problem of enforcing a desired displacement field. We discuss feed forward and feed back control. In the case of feed back control we show that a PD controller can stabilize the continuous system. Finally, a numerical example is presented. A desired deflection of a clamped-clamped beam is tracked by means of feed forward control, feed back control and a combination of the two.