Review of Dielectric Elastomer Actuators and Their Applications in Soft Robots

TLDR

Hard materials limit robot adaptability, but soft robots—enabled by compliant materials like dielectric elastomers that deform large, respond fast, and store high energy—offer unprecedented flexibility and function. This review introduces the key aspects of dielectric elastomer actuators, covering their working principle, materials, electrodes, and common configurations. The review examines soft robots powered by DEAs and discusses recent highlights in their design and application. The authors summarize the main challenges hindering real‑world deployment of DEA‑driven soft robots.

Abstract

Due to the inherent rigidity of hard materials, the adaptability and flexibility of traditional robots are limited. Recently, soft robots became one of the most attractive areas. The intrinsic compliance and adaptability of soft materials enable soft robots to achieve unexpected functions. Dielectric elastomers (DE) can exhibit large deformation, fast response, and high energy density under the action of external electrical stimuli, becoming one of the most promising materials in soft robots. Herein, the key points of DE actuators (DEAs) are first introduced, including the working principle, DE materials, compliant electrodes, and typical configurations. Then, the soft robots driven by DEAs are reviewed. Some recent highlights are described and discussed in detail. Finally, the main challenges are summarized for the real‐world application of soft robots based on DEAs.