The core objective of this paper is to investigate the perspectives of “renewable fuels” mainly from an energetic point-of-view in a dynamic framework until 2050 in comparison to fossil fuels. In addition, the impact on the economic prospects of an improvement of the energetic performance is analyzed. As renewable fuels, various categories of first and second generation biofuels as well as elec...

In honeybees fast and efficient exploitation of nectar and pollen sources is achieved by persistent endothermy throughout the foraging cycle, which means extremely high energy costs. The need for food promotes maximisation of the intake rate, and the high costs call for energetic optimisation. Experiments on how honeybees resolve this conflict have to consider that foraging takes place in a var...

The efficiency of feed use is an important factor influencing costs of production. However, feed intake (FI) is generally difficult and costly to measure. In addition, feed intake per se is relatively meaningless unless taken in the context of prevailing environmental and physiological processes. For example, FI and its utilisation by animals is altered by climate, activity levels, disease and ...

Series elastic actuation has often been proposed as a mechanism for energy recovery in legged robots [1]. By storing and releasing energy in springs similarly to how tendons function in mammals, it is expected that the energetic efficiency of a robot can be significantly improved. This thesis has been demonstrated in simulation for a variety of systems, ranging from more conceptual spring loade...

The laws of physics establish the energetic efficiency of our movements. In some cases, like locomotion, the mechanics of the body dominate in determining the energetically optimal course of action. In other tasks, such as manipulation, energetic costs depend critically upon the variable properties of objects in the environment. Can the brain identify and follow energy-optimal motions when thes...