Dielectric elastomers are a class of smart polymer materials that deform in response to an electric field.Due to their flexibility,rapid responsive,and addressability,dielectric elastomers are considered as an artificial muscle technology with broad applications.Molecular design affects the performance of dielectric elastomers at all scales:the molecular structure changes the polarization ability of the material under an electric field,and the design of polymer network structure affects the deformation ability of the material during electromechanical coupling and the processing method of device manufacturing.Based on the research experience of our research group in this field,this paper reviews the design principles of dielectric elastomers from three levels:molecules,materials,and devices.