CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 UnportedIonov, L.2020-11-122020-11-122014https://doi.org/10.34657/4518https://oa.tib.eu/renate/handle/123456789/5889The rapid development of microtechnology in recent times has increased the necessity for the development of devices, which are able to perform mechanical work on the micro- and macroscale. Among all kinds of actuators, the ones based on stimuli-responsive hydrogels, which are three-dimensional polymer networks strongly imbibed with water, deserve particular attention. This paper aims to provide a brief overview of stimuli-responsive hydrogel actuators with respect to their sensitivity to different stimuli, different kinds of deformation, the possibilities of generating different types of movement, as well as their applications.enghttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/620ActuatorsFunctional polymersMacro scaleMechanical workMicrotechnologyPolymer networksStimuli-responsiveHydrogelsArticle