Electroactive polymer actuators have the simple ability to be actuated by a voltage. In this study, we added a new function: the ability to be actuated by temperature. We used a bending-electrostrictive actuator made of a polyurethane film. The polyurethane was designed to be rigid at room temperature but to be flexible at temperatures greater than 40degreesC because of the melting of the soft segment in the polyurethane. Therefore, the actuator showed slight bending in response to a voltage at room temperature. However, it showed significant bending at 61degreesC. The degree of bending at 61degreesC was 29 times greater than that at 13degreesC. Thus, the actuation ability was switched on at 61degreesC but switched off at 13degreesC. (C) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.