{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,18]],"date-time":"2026-10-18T08:39:43Z","timestamp":1792312783450,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1792022400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Soft Robotics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Miniaturization of manipulation systems can be advanced using dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs). In this work, we present a laser-assisted fabrication method for DEA electrodes using a femtosecond laser, enabling the formation of both macro- and microscale electrode patterns with high precision. The low ablation threshold of carbon nanotubes, combined with the near-infrared transparency of elastomers, allows for selective removal of the conductive layer with minimal thermal damage to the elastomer. This single-step laser ablation process was employed to fabricate the actuation layers of DEAs, incorporating both the electrode geometry and integrated conductive wire connections. Based on this approach, we constructed a miniaturized cone-shaped actuator composed of two stacked actuation layers separated by a central cylindrical pin, resulting in simultaneous actuation and self-sensing. We further introduced cone-shaped DEA arrays (up to 4 \u00d7 4) to realize scalable smart surface manipulation. Their capabilities have been demonstrated through two representative applications: (i) guiding a steel ball through a maze by dynamically tilting the maze surface by the DEA arrays and (ii) steering a reflected laser beam by controlling the orientation of a mirror via the DEA array. These demonstrations highlight the scalability and multifunctionality of laser-fabricated DEA arrays for next-generation soft robotic interactive surface systems.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/21695172261492506","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,16]],"date-time":"2026-10-16T05:17:11Z","timestamp":1792127831000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Femtosecond Laser Ablation of Dielectric Elastomer Microactuator Arrays Enables Scalable Smart Surface Manipulation"],"prefix":"10.1177","author":[{"given":"Artem","family":"Bogatyrev","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xi","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Zhirong","family":"Liao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xin","family":"Dong","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dragos","family":"Axinte","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom."}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_3_3_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/aisy.202500782"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.202200671"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acs.chemrev.4c00906"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-024-50598-1"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_6_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/LRA.2025.3568605"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.adp4256"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_8_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.adf4278"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_9_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-020-03153-z"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_10_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.abm8597"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_11_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1088\/1361-665X\/add067"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_12_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/frobt.2020.00009"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_13_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.aat2874"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_14_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/LRA.2020.2983705"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_15_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/TMECH.2021.3054460"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_16_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.oceaneng.2025.122148"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_17_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3389\/frobt.2018.00137"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_18_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/LRA.2025.3619708"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_19_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s00339-012-7402-8"},{"issue":"3","key":"e_1_3_3_20_1","first-page":"51","article-title":"Dielectric elastomer actuators with carbon nanotube electrodes painted with a soft brush","volume":"7","author":"Shigemune H","year":"2018","unstructured":"19.Shigemune H, , Sugano S, , Nishitani J, et al. Dielectric elastomer actuators with carbon nanotube electrodes painted with a soft brush. Paper Presented at: Actuators 2018;7(3):51.","journal-title":"Paper Presented at: Actuators"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_21_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adfm.202205394"},{"issue":"108","key":"e_1_3_3_22_1","first-page":"e53423","article-title":"Fabrication process of silicone-based dielectric elastomer actuators","author":"Rosset S","year":"2016","unstructured":"21.Rosset S, , Araromi OA, , Schlatter S, et al. Fabrication process of silicone-based dielectric elastomer actuators. J Vis Exp 2016(108):e53423.","journal-title":"J Vis Exp"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_23_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1063\/1.4937735"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_24_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.201601842"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_25_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1021\/acsami.3c05444"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_26_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1088\/0964-1726\/25\/5\/055009"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_27_1","unstructured":"26.Shrestha M Lu Z Lau GK. Ink-jet printing of transparent and stretchable electrodes for dielectric elastomer actuator. In: 3rd International Conference on Progress in Additive Manufacturing (Pro-AM 2018). Nanyang Technological University: Singapore; 2018."},{"key":"e_1_3_3_28_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.snb.2018.01.145"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_29_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/scirobotics.aaz6451"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_30_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/adma.202200517"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_31_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jmatprotec.2024.118668"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_32_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jeurceramsoc.2023.02.035"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_33_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/pi.5834"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_34_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rineng.2023.100875"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_35_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1115\/1.4066131"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_36_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/TRO.2017.2706285"},{"key":"e_1_3_3_37_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/soro.2016.0036"}],"container-title":["Soft Robotics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/21695172261492506","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/21695172261492506","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/21695172261492506","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,18]],"date-time":"2026-10-18T07:47:11Z","timestamp":1792309631000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/21695172261492506"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]]},"references-count":36,"alternative-id":["10.1177\/21695172261492506"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/21695172261492506","relation":{},"ISSN":["2169-5172","2169-5180"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2169-5172","type":"print"},{"value":"2169-5180","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]]},"article-number":"21695172261492506"}}