Abstract
<jats:p> Soft robotic actuators have attracted significant attention, particularly for biomedical applications requiring lightweight, responsive, and mechanically compliant systems. Among these, electroactive polymers (EAPs) are promising candidates due to their flexibility and fast actuation response. However, conventional dielectric elastomer actuators rely on electrodes directly bonded to the film, limiting design flexibility and scalability. Here, we present a contact-free dielectrophoretic actuator (DPA) in which free-standing dielectric polymer films undergo out-of-plane bending driven by a non-uniform electric field generated between two spatially separated electrodes. By exploiting electrode geometry, including gap spacing. 0.8–3.1 cm , lateral displacement, tilt, and electrode size, we demonstrate external, material independent control over actuation voltage and displacement. A range of dielectric materials was evaluated, including PVDF, PVDF blended with BaTiO <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> and Fe <jats:sub>3</jats:sub> O <jats:sub>4</jats:sub> nanoparticles. Incorporating high-dielectric fillers and reducing film thickness lowered the actuation voltage as low as 1.5 kV, with deflections reaching 0.46 cm and sufficient force to lift a 3.8 g silicon wafer 37 mN. Electrostatic simulations using ANSYS Maxwell confirm that field nonuniformity, governed by electrode configuration, is the primary driver of actuation. These results establish a versatile, electrode-free platform for next-generation soft robotic actuators with direct relevance to flexible fingers and contactless gripping systems. </jats:p>