{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T04:35:42Z","timestamp":1787027742844,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,18]],"date-time":"2024-07-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1721260800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"DFG, German Research Foundation","award":["2193\/1-390951807"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2193\/1-390951807"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Biomimetics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>With a focus on education and teaching, we provide general background information on bioinspired optimization methods by comparing the concept of optimization and the search for an optimum in engineering and biology. We introduce both the principles of Darwinian evolution and the basic evolutionary optimization procedure of evolution strategies. We provide three educational modules in work sheets that can be used by teachers and students to improve their understanding of evolution strategies. The educational module \u201cOptimization of a Milk Carton\u201d shows that the material consumption in producing a milk carton can be minimized using an evolution strategy with a mutative step size control. The use of a standard dice and a pocket calculator enables new milk cartons to be generated, with the offspring having the lowest material consumption becoming the parent of the next generation. The other educational modules deal with the so-called brachistochrone problem. The module \u201cFastest and Shortest Marble Track\u201d provides a construction plan for a marble track whereby students can experimentally compare the \u201cpath of shortest length\u201d with the \u201cpath of shortest time\u201d. The EvoBrach software, is used in the module \u201cVarious Marble Track Shapes\u201d to compare the running times of a marble on a straight line, a parabola, and a brachistochrone. In conclusion, the introduction to the biomimetic method of evolution strategies and the educational modules should deepen the understanding of both optimization problems and biological evolution.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/biomimetics9070439","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,18]],"date-time":"2024-07-18T10:39:26Z","timestamp":1721299166000},"page":"439","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["The Basics of Evolution Strategies: The Implementation of the Biomimetic Optimization Method in Educational Modules"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8705-5121","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Olga","family":"Speck","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT\u2014Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Georges-K\u00f6hler-Allee 105, 79110 Freiburg, Germany"},{"name":"Plant Biomechanics Group @ Botanic Garden Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Sch\u00e4nzlestr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2245-2636","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Thomas","family":"Speck","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT\u2014Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, Georges-K\u00f6hler-Allee 105, 79110 Freiburg, Germany"},{"name":"Plant Biomechanics Group @ Botanic Garden Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Sch\u00e4nzlestr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sabine","family":"Baur","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Plant Biomechanics Group @ Botanic Garden Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Sch\u00e4nzlestr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michael","family":"Herdy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Ingenieurb\u00fcro Herdy (IBH), Kaiserdamm 4, 14057 Berlin, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,7,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Yang, X.S. 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