Mate value is an important concept in mate choice research although its operationalization and understanding are limited. Here, we reviewed and evaluated previously established conceptual and methodological approaches measuring mate value and presented original research using individual differences in how people view themselves as a face-valid proxy for mate value in long- and short-term contexts. In data from 41 nations (N = 3895, M age = 24.71, 63% women, 47% single), we tested sex, age, and relationship status effects on self-perceived mate desirability, along with individual differences in the Dark Triad traits, life history strategies, peer-based comparison of desirability, and self-reported mating success. Both sexes indicated more short-term than long-term mate desirability; however, men reported more long-term mate desirability than women, whereas women reported more short-term mate desirability than men. Further, individuals who were in a committed relationship felt more desirable than those who were not. Concerning the cross-sectional stability of mate desirability across the lifespan, in men, short- and long-term desirability rose to the age of 40 and 50, respectively, and decreased afterward. In women, short-term desirability rose to the age of 38 and decreased afterward, whereas long-term desirability remained stable over time. Our results suggest that measuring long- and short-term self-perceived mate desirability reveals predictable correlates.
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Family breakup dynamics in mammals can be complex due to competing interests between parents and offspring. Parents need to balance their own as well as their offspring's fitness through either terminating care early or extending care. Yet, males can disrupt this trade-off as they may force females to focus on future litters by separating or killing offspring, especially in species where sexually selected infanticide occurs. Here, we investigated the family breakup dynamics in brown bears (Ursus arctos) by using GPS relocation data from 144 individuals (114 unique individuals: 23 mothers, 49 offspring, and 42 adult males) in southcentral Sweden. We explored the movement of mothers, their offspring, and adjacent adult males to gain insights into the factors influencing family breakup. Our findings indicate that females with 2-year-olds tend to separate before the mating season, whereas females with yearlings typically experience breakups during the mating season. Our results show that females accompanied by yearlings increased their movement speeds 2 weeks before the family breakup. The movement speed of the families that separated was two to three times higher compared to families that remained together. Furthermore, males associated with family groups before and during the mating season. Several associations during the mating season between adult males and family groups occurred on the same day that the family broke up. The increased space use makes the family group more conspicuous on the landscape; this likely increases the detection probability by a male and increases the chance of family breakup. Maternal care tactics can influence both female and offspring fitness, and here we provided additional evidence of the interplay between female and adult male behavior in terminating care in a solitary carnivore.
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In this project, the AGM R&D team developed and refined the use of a facial scanning rig. The rig is a physical device comprising multiple cameras and lighting that are mounted on scaffolding around a 'scanning volume'. This is an area at which objects are placed before being photographed from multiple angles. The object is typically a person's head, but it can be anything of this approximate size. Software compares the photographs to create a digital 3D recreation - this process is called photogrammetry. The 3D model is then processed by further pieces of software and eventually becomes a face that can be animated inside in Unreal Engine, which is a popular piece of game development software made by the company Epic. This project was funded by Epic's 'Megagrant' system, and the focus of the work is on streamlining and automating the processing pipeline, and on improving the quality of the resulting output. Additional work has been done on skin shaders (simulating the quality of real skin in a digital form) and the use of AI to re/create lifelike hair styles. The R&D work has produced significant savings in regards to the processing time and the quality of facial scans, has produced a system that has benefitted the educational offering of BUas, and has attracted collaborators from the commercial entertainment/simulation industries. This work complements and extends previous work done on the VIBE project, where the focus was on creating lifelike human avatars for the medical industry.
Het doel van dit interdisciplinaire SIA KIEM project Fluïde Eigenschap in de Creatieve Industrie is te onderzoeken of en hoe gedeelde vormen van eigenaarschap in de creatieve industrie kunnen bijdragen aan het creëren van een democratischer en duurzamer economie, waarin ook het MKB kan participeren in digitale innovatie. Het project geeft een overzicht van beschikbare vormen van (gedeeld) eigenaarschap, hun werking en hoe deze creatieve professionals kunnen ondersteunen bij de transitie naar de platformeconomie. Dit wordt toegepast op een concrete case, dat van een digitale breimachine. Naast het leveren van een goede praktijk, moet het project leiden tot een groter internationaal onderzoeksvoorstel over Fluid Ownership in the Creative Industry, dat dieper ingaat op de beschikbare eigendomsoplossingen en hoe deze waarde zullen creëren voor de creatieve professional.
Automating logistics/agrifood vehicles requires dependable, accurate positioning. Automated vehicles, or mobile robots, constantly need to know their exact position to follow the trajectories required to perform their tasks. Precise outdoor localization is helped by the increased price/performance ratio of RTK-GNSS solutions. However, this technology is sensitive to signal deterioration by e.g. biomass and large structures like poles/buildings. Robust localization requires additional localization technologies. Several absolute and relative positioning technologies exist and available sensor fusion solutions allow for combining these technologies. However, robot developers require modularity, and no integral solutions exist. Commercial solutions are either customized or high-priced testing solutions. Academics mainly propose specific sensing combinations and lack industrial applicability. Market demand articulation expresses the need for redundancy besides modularity, both for vehicle safety and system resilience, referring to the current geopolitical GPS jamming reality. MAPS aims for an open-source, ROS2-based, multi-modal, robust and modular localization solution for outdoor logistics and agrifood applications, enabling dependable and safe vehicle automation, allowing both sectors to handle labor shortages, introduce durable solutions and enhance resilience. MAPS focuses on a sensor fusion approach allowing modularity, with integrated redundancy. It includes online confidence level estimation, supporting both continuous fusion and modality switching, aiming for location/situation aware behavior and allowing for market-requested hybrid in-vehicle/infra solutions. MAPS intents to maximally utilize the consortium’s vehicle dynamics knowledge - including vehicle-(soft)soil interaction - in the solution for plausibility and dead reckoning. An accompanying PhD/EngD research is foreseen. With project partners enabling scalable, industry-grade solutions MAPS aims to bridge the gap between academic-level research and market-desired applicability. MAPS is independent, though aims to cooperate with AIFusIOn from Saxion on re-usable architectures and integration of AIFusIOn specifics, like AI-based situational awareness and indoor-outdoor switching, if both are granted.
