  A model of an electrical point contact coupled to a mechanical system
(oscillator) is studied to simulate the dephasing effect of measurement on a
quantum system. The problem is solved at zero temperature under conditions of
strong non-equilibrium in the measurement apparatus. For linear coupling
between the oscillator and tunneling electrons, it is found that the oscillator
dynamics becomes damped, with the effective temperature determined by the
voltage drop across the junction. It is demonstrated that both the quantum
heating and the quantum damping of the oscillator manifest themselves in the
current-voltage characteristic of the point contact.
