Recently,　dielectric　elastomer　actuators　(DEAs)　have　been　popularly　employed　for　several　soft　robotic　applications.　However,　achieving　effective　control　of　their　highly　nonlinear　deformation　is　a　key　issue.　Besides　material　nonlinearity　and　electromechanical　coupling　which　accounts　for　their　strong　nonlinear　behavior,　response　of　DEAs　is　also　affected　by　their　viscoelasticity　and　inhomogeneous　deformation.　In　this　paper,　we　present　an　analytical　model　that　can　account　for　all　these　factors　in　a　circular　DEA.　Both　the　viscoelastic　behavior　and　the　effect　due　to　inhomogeneous　deformation　of　passive　area　are　well　exhibited.　Algorithm　to　obtain　the　numerical　solution　is　proposed　and　the　simulation　results　show　good　agreement　with　the　experimental　data.　In　addition,　a　feedforward　controller　is　designed　by　inverse　solution　of　the　proposed　analytical　model　which　is　subsequently　used　to　test　the　tracking　ability　of　the　developed　controller.　Given　a　desired　displacement,　control　voltage　is　first　calculated　by　the　developed　controller　and　applied　to　DEA.　The　measured　displacement　of　the　actuator　follows　well　with　the　desired　trajectory,　which　verifies　the　effectiveness　of　the　developed　controller.　We　hope　that　the　effective　control　of　DEAs　may　pave　their　way　to　expansive　future　applications　of　soft　robots.　©　2020