%0 Journal Article %J Extreme Mechanics Letters %D 2019 %T Voltage-controlled morphing of dielectric elastomer circular sheets into conical surfaces %A Hajiesmaili, Ehsan %A Eesha Khare %A Alex Chortos %A Jennifer Lewis %A David R. Clarke %X Dielectric elastomers provide large, fast, and reversible deformations which can be harnessed to provide predefined sophisticated actuation deformations. This paper describes a method, fabrication technique and analysis tools for morphing flat sheets of dielectric elastomers into conical shapes upon applying a voltage, using a set of concentric, stiff rings that are 3D-printed onto a multilayer elastomer sheet. A finite elements user-subroutine and a simple analytical model are developed to predict the actuation profile, both showing excellent agreement with the experimental measurements. The actuation force of the dielectric elastomer actuator is measured as a function of the applied voltage and displacement and estimated using the analytical and numerical models. Finally, a few examples of dielectric elastomers with other designs of the 3D-printed stiffening elements and their actuation shapes are demonstrated. %B Extreme Mechanics Letters %I Elsevier %P 100504 %@ 2352-4316 %G eng %U https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352431619300483