insta_photos – Shutterstock.com As the spring 2025 edition of Fiverr’s “Business Trends Index” shows, companies are looking for specialists who can effectively implement AI agents. According to new data from the freelancer platform, search queries for this expertise have risen by 18,347% in the last six months. In Germany, inquiries increased by an even larger 19,033%. According to Fiverr, this is due to technological advances in the field of agentic AI, which enable “digital colleagues” to perform tasks such as reading emails, scheduling meetings, or answering customer inquiries independently and without constant supervision. While experts predict that agentic AI could become a trillion-dollar market, many companies are struggling with the challenges of implementing the technology — so they’re turning to freelancers with these specific skills. “Nearly 30% of my Fiverr assignments are for AI agent development, with demand shifting dramatically from simple chatbots to multi-agent systems that work across web, WhatsApp, and voice channels,” says Mark Kashef, an AI consultant on Fiverr and founder and CEO of Prompt Advisors. “Companies have gone from asking ‘What can AI do?’ to ‘How quickly can we integrate AI into our workflows?’ — with automation, voice and integration requests now making up 49% of my project pipeline.” [ Related: Freelancers now represent more than one in four US workers ] Yoav Hornung, Head of Verticals at Fiverr, explains the increased demand with the strong discrepancy between companies’ ambitions and their technical realities. Despite the great interest in AI agents, most companies do not know exactly what they are or how they can be used. This knowledge gap is driving the increased demand for freelancers. “Now that generative AI is widely available, many companies are turning to freelancers to elevate their content with new perspectives, creativity, and expertise that will elevate their work beyond what automation alone can achieve,” says Hornung. According to Fiverr, this paradox is reflected in the 641% increase in global demand for freelancers who can “humanize” AI content — rewriting chatbot scripts, marketing emails, and website content to make it appear more natural. “I thought my copywriting services wouldn’t be as much in demand after the launch of ChatGPT, but I get requests almost daily to rework AI texts so they still sound human,” the platform operator quotes Gabrielle Gerbus, a freelance brand developer. In addition to AI itself, companies are also increasingly relying on freelance experts to implement workflow automation tools. Fiverr data shows a growing demand for experts in workflow tools such as Go High Level (up 1,489%) and Make.com (up 1,083%). Experts who can create newsletters on trend platforms such as Substack (up 2,028%) and Beehiiv (up 1,211%) are also increasingly in demand.

Unveiled at a Berlin launch event under the theme “Fashion Next,” the new lineup balances high-precision health tracking, expressive industrial design, and a more universal approach to platform compatibility. The headline announcement is the Huawei WATCH 5, now joined by a re-engineered FIT 4 Series, all built to run on both Android and iOS devices. Designer: Huawei TruSense and the Rise of Fingertip Biometrics Central to the WATCH 5 is the introduction of Huawei’s TruSense System, anchored by the Multi-sensing X-TAP module. Rather than relying on wrist-bound photoplethysmography alone, X-TAP brings health interaction directly to the fingertip. It provides faster and more granular readings through a gesture-based input system. The device supports quick-tap gestures like Double Tap and Double Slide. This reduces the need for menu-diving or screen tapping during workouts or daily routines. These are not just shortcuts. They are structured interactions that keep the wearable experience fluid without compromising data access. The hardware reflects a deliberate balance of elegance and performance. Sapphire glass curves over aerospace-grade titanium and 904L stainless steel, a pairing typically reserved for luxury watches. For the first time, the WATCH 5 ships in two sizes, 46mm and 42mm. This brings comfort to a broader user base without diluting the design language. Rebuilding the FIT Platform The FIT 4 Pro stands as a complete rework of Huawei’s entry-performance tier. At just 9.3mm thin, it trades visual weight for technical density. New water-resistance support extends tracking to diving depths of up to 40 meters. A reworked air pressure sensor now delivers elevation data tuned for trail running and mountain climbs. Offline map support and sport-specific modes such as golf, diving, and trail training turn this into a multi-condition training device. Build materials signal a shift in direction. Aviation-grade aluminum and titanium alloy bezels bring FIT 4 Pro closer to the sophistication of the WATCH 5. Sapphire glass has also been added for enhanced durability, especially in high-contact outdoor use. Interoperability and Expanded Harmony Both the WATCH 5 and FIT 4 Series operate independently of a Huawei smartphone. iOS and Android support remains intact. Gesture controls and activity syncing are supported across Huawei’s broader ecosystem. The launch also included FreeBuds 6, which work seamlessly with the wearables. Open-fit audio now enters a higher fidelity tier thanks to new dual drivers and refined voice call algorithms. The MatePad Pro 12.2 was also introduced. Its value lies in its role as an accessory-level companion, especially with the tandem OLED PaperMatte display and Huawei Glide keyboard. Battery longevity has been improved across the entire range. Huawei is targeting users who expect multiple days of uptime without sacrificing display brightness or connectivity. These are not devices designed to stay tethered to a charger. Pricing and Availability Pre-orders are now open. The Huawei WATCH 5 starts at £399.99. The FIT 4 and FIT 4 Pro are priced at £149.99 and £249.99 respectively. FreeBuds 6 will be available at £139.99. All product lines will be available from the Huawei Store, with retail launch scheduled for May 26. Huawei’s wearables are no longer treated as a secondary category. With TruSense and X-TAP, the brand is defining a new path in user-driven health technology. Everything is wrapped in high-finish industrial craft. This is not a spec war. It is a recalibration of what daily smartwear should feel like when hardware and wellness are developed as part of the same conversation.The post Huawei Redefines Its Wearable Future with WATCH 5 and FIT 4 Series first appeared on Yanko Design.

Take a look at your favorite bag. How many different materials is it made out of? The backpack and musette bag in Freitag's Mono[PA6] series contain 17 different components: Buckles, straps, zippers, sewing thread, fabric, lanyards, etc. Amazingly, all 17 components are made of the exact same material: PA6, a variant of nylon. This is significant because it means the entire bag can be recycled, without having to dismantle the bag piece by piece. Freitag will take the bags back when you're done with them and recycle them in their entirety. And being Freitag products, the bags are both tough and water-repellent.The PA6 material isn't off-the-shelf nylon; engineering was required. "The search for a single-material fabric that could repel water proved fruitless," the company writes. "Most fabrics like that use coatings or membranes made of other materials. And because we were looking for a mono-material, that was out of the question. So, with a partner, we developed a brand-new fabric that's both water-repellent and a mono-material."The backpack runs $380 and the musette $101.

Christine Farro has cut back on the presents she sends her grandchildren on their birthdays, and she’s put off taking two cats and a dog for their shots. All her clothes come from thrift stores and most of her vegetables come from her garden. At 73, she has cut her costs as much as she can to live on a tight budget.But it’s about to get far tighter.As the Trump administration resumes collections on defaulted student loans, a surprising population has been caught in the crosshairs: Hundreds of thousands of older Americans whose decades-old debts now put them at risk of having their Social Security checks garnished.“I worked ridiculous hours. I worked weekends and nights. But I could never pay it off,” says Farro, a retired child welfare worker in Santa Ynez, California.Like millions of debtors with federal student loans, Farro had her payments and interest paused by the government five years ago when the pandemic thrust many into financial hardship. That grace period ended in 2023 and, earlier this month, the Department of Education said it would restart “involuntary collections” by garnishing paychecks, tax refunds and Social Security retirement and disability benefits. Farro previously had her Social Security garnished and expects it to restart.Farro’s loans date back 40 years. She was a single mother when she got a bachelor’s degree in developmental psychology and when she discovered she couldn’t earn enough to pay off her loans, she went back to school and got a master’s degree. Her salary never caught up. Things only got worse.Around 2008, when she consolidated her loans, she was paying $1,000 a month, but years of missed payments and piled-on interest meant she was barely putting a dent in a bill that had ballooned to $250,000. When she sought help to resolve her debt, she says the loan company had just one suggestion.“They said, ‘Move to a cheaper state,'” says Farro, who rents a 400-square-foot casita from a friend. “I realized I was living in a different reality than they were.”Student loan debt among older people has grown at a staggering rate, in part due to rising tuitions that have forced more people to borrow greater sums. People 60 and older hold an estimated $125 billion in student loans, according to the National Consumer Law Center, a six-fold increase from 20 years ago. That has led Social Security beneficiaries who have had their payments garnished to balloon by 3,000% over the same period, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.An estimated 452,000 people aged 62 and older had student loans in default, according to a January report from CFPB.Debbie McIntyre, a 62-year-old adult education teacher in Georgetown, Kentucky, is among them. She dreams of retiring and writing more historical fiction, and of boarding a plane for the first time since high school. But her husband has been out of work on disability for two decades and they’ve used credit cards to get by on his meager benefits and her paycheck. Their rent will be hiked $300 when their lease renews. McIntyre doesn’t know what to do if her paycheck is garnished.She floats the idea of bankruptcy, but that won’t automatically clear her loans, which are held to a different standard than other debt. She figures if she picks up extra jobs babysitting or tutoring, she could put $50 toward her loans here and there. But she sees no real solution.“I don’t know what more I can do,” says McIntyre, who is too afraid to check what her loan balance is. “I’ll never get out of this hole.”Braxton Brewington of the Debt Collective debtors union says it’s striking how many older people dial into the organization’s calls and attend its protests. Many of them, he says, should have had their debts cancelled but fell victim to a system “riddled with flaws and illegalities and flukes.” Many whose educations have left them in late-life debt have, in fact, paid back the principal on their loans, sometimes several times over, but still owe more due to interest and fees.For those who are subject to garnishment, Brewington says, the results can be devastating.“We hear from people who skip meals. We know people who dilute their medication or cut their pills in half. People take drastic measures like pulling all their savings out or dissolving their 401ks,” he says. “We know folks that have been driven into homelessness.”Collections on defaulted loans may have restarted no matter who was president, though the Biden administration had sought to limit the amount of income that could be garnished. Federal law protects just $750 of Social Security benefits from garnishment, an amount that would put a debtor far below the poverty line.“We’re basically providing people with federal benefits with one hand and taking them away with another,” says Sarah Sattelmeyer of the New America think tank.Linda Hilton, a 76-year-old retired office worker from Apache Junction, Arizona, went through garnishment before COVID and says she will survive it again. But flights to see her children, occasional meals at a restaurant and other pleasures of retired life may disappear.“It’s going to mean restrictions,” says Hilton. “There won’t be any travel. There won’t be any frills.”Some debtors have already received notice about collections. Many more are living in fear. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order calling for the Department of Education’s dismantling and, for those seeking answers about their loans, mass layoffs have complicated getting calls answered.While Education Secretary Linda McMahon says restarting collections is a necessary step for debtors “both for the sake of their own financial health and our nation’s economic outlook,” even some of Trump’s most fervent supporters are questioning a move that will make their lives harder.Randall Countryman, 55, of Bonita, California, says a Biden administration proposal to forgive some student debt didn’t strike him as fair, but he’s not sure Trump’s approach is either. He supported Trump but wishes the government made case-by-case decisions on debtors. Countryman thinks Americans don’t realize how many older people are affected by policies on student loans, often thought to be the turf of the young, and how difficult it can be for them to repay.“What’s a young person’s problem today,” he says, “is an old person’s problem tomorrow.”Countryman started working on a degree while in prison, then continued it at the University of Phoenix when he was released. He started growing nervous as he racked up loan debt and never finished his degree. He’s worked a host of different jobs, but finding work has often been complicated by his criminal record.He lives off his wife’s Social Security check and the kindness of his mother-in-law. He doesn’t know how they’d get by if the government demands repayment.“I kind of wish I never went to school in the first place,” he says. Matt Sedensky can be reached at msedensky@ap.org and https://x.com/sedensky —Matt Sedensky, AP National Writer

After Kingdom Hearts: Missing Link was canceled earlier this week, fans joked that within it was the most information we’ve gotten on the development of Kingdom Hearts 4 since it was revealed in an announcement trailer three years ago. Square Enix said it is “hard at work” on Kingdom Hearts 4, which will continue Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s adventures in a new story arc. The same day that it announced Missing Link’s cancellation, Square Enix casually dropped several new screenshots of Kingdom Hearts 4, causing the fandom to leap for joy. There’s so much to break down in these images that there’s enough to do a deep dive (pun intended) on all of them. Let’s take a look. The above screenshot shows humanoid Heartless that aren’t Neo Heartless — they kinda look like Sora with that hair — but are also more human, maybe because they’re based on Quadratum humans? There are more new Heartless in the back rocking fists the shape of shields. The Form Change ability for the keyblade we saw from the trailer (Are those stars paopu fruit? Are these chains… chains of memories?) is being used to deal with the new group of Heartless instead of using it to travel as previously shown. According to Tetsuya Nomura, a new Build mechanic in the command menu (which is themed after Quadratum) will allow Sora to scrap and rebuild things. There’s also a Japanese-language version of this exact moment posted on the Japanese Kingdom Hearts social media account that shows it from another angle. In this image, we can see a third creature with long legs, a bell-shaped waist, and a long neck with a spike protruding from it. It looks more like the Pokémon Magearna and Alolan Exeggutor than a Heartless. TheGamersJoint (one of the best Kingdom Hearts YouTubers) noticed that the health and MP UI have changed to move the EX Gauge from on top of the MP bar to curve around the health bar, similar to the original Kingdom Hearts interface. He also notes that the EX gauge will most likely be renamed, as Square Enix usually does, often using EX as a placeholder. Fun fact: Sora has a smartwatch on! What does it do? No one knows. Strelitzia from Kingdom Hearts Cross Union is shown, which showcases an improved character model compared to she looked in the Kingdom Hearts 4 reveal trailer. Also, phones make a return to the series since Kingdom Hearts 3’s introduction of Gummiphones, but this time it’s a rotary phone. Will whippersnappers like Sora even know what it is?  To our Kingdom Hearts community,We’re currently working hard on Kingdom Hearts IV and will continue pouring ourselves into the game’s development. We’re dedicated to making this an experience that lives up to your expectations! [1/2] pic.twitter.com/4lbg6l2ErZ— KINGDOM HEARTS (@KINGDOMHEARTS) May 15, 2025 We get to play as Mickey in what would appear to be a minigame (the command menu is extremely limited, leading us to believe it’s a small gameplay section). It’s been theorized this library could be within Scala ad Caelum, since Mickey was previously tasked to look into the Foretellers from Cross Union last we saw him.  The next image showcases what would appear to be a Darkside Heartless from the original trailer, albeit with a new design that includes wings and an even larger presence. But there are two forms of light rushing toward it. Could it be our hero joined alongside another? Yozora perhaps? Only time will tell. The next photo shows Sora standing in the street in the dark, with sparkles surrounding him on the ground. Some believe the sparkles to be rain, but it could also be broken glass from the surrounding cars following a battle. In the distance is a bright light, which suggests things haven’t settled down in the streets. The last image looks to be from this same scene, but from the perspective of Sora, as the light in the distance illuminates his face. Although there’s no release date or news on a new trailer, Square Enix promises it’s hard at work developing Kingdom Hearts 4. After so many years of radio silence, and in the wake of canceling a game, this was the best move the team could have made to show the fans good faith that their long wait will indeed pay off.

Publisher Playsaurus has announced that Cookie Clicker will release on consoles May 22--exactly a week from today. One of the first major idle games, Cookie Clicker originally released on the web in 2013 before hitting Steam in 2021. The title, developed by DashNet, is coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and even Switch 2 (though of course at a later date).Nintendo's listing for Cookie Clicker notes that the game will cost $5. This is in line with the Steam edition of the idle game. Playsaurus is promising more than 600 upgrades in Cookie Clicker, as well as the ability to "pet your dragon." For those unfamiliar, you click the cookie to make more cookies. The clicker or idle genre has proven to be quite popular on Steam. For instance, over 100,000 people were playing Bongo Cat last month. The game sees a feline pawing a taskbar as a player clicks their mouse or types, and then you can earn hats for your digital kitty.Continue Reading at GameSpot

NimueIntroductionFor three semesters, our student team has been hard at work on the prototype for Nimue, a 3D platformer in which you play an enchanted princess who lost her memories. She needs to find her way through the castle ruins on a misty lake to uncover her past. Water is a visual core element of this game prototype, so we took extra care in its development. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at the design and technical implementation of a lake water material.The first prototype of Nimue can be played on itch.io soon. A link to our shader for use in your own projects can be found at the end of this article.Taxonomy of WaterBefore we dive into the design decisions and technical implementation, we present a simplified taxonomy of visual water components to better understand the requirements of its representation:RiMEWind WavesWaves generated by wind, which form on an open water surface, can be divided into capillary waves and gravity waves. Capillary waves, or ripples, are small, short-wavelength waves caused by weak winds affecting surface tension in calm water. They can overlap longer and larger gravity waves. How these physically complex wave types are represented in stylized video games varies depending on the respective style. Both types are usually heavily simplified in form and motion, and capillary waves are sometimes omitted entirely to reduce detail.Sea of ThievesFoam PatternsFoam patterns refer to white foam crests that form on a water surface without breaking against an obstacle or shoreline. In reality, this effect occurs when different water layers collide, and waves become steeper until their peaks collapse, and the resulting bubbles and drops scatter the sunlight. Stylized foam patterns can be found in many video game water representations and can easily be abstracted into patterns. Such patterns contribute to a cartoon look and can sometimes even replace waveforms entirely.The Legend of Zelda: The Wind WakerFoam LinesFoam lines are a very common water element in video games, represented as white graphical lines surrounding shorelines and obstacles like rocks. They typically reference two different water phenomena: foam forming around obstacles due to wave breaking, and foam along shorelines, resulting from wave breaking and the mixing of algaes with organic and artificial substances.Foam lines can have different visual appearances depending on the surface angle: The shallower the angle, the wider the foam effect. Due to the weaker waves, distinctive foam lines are rarely observed on natural lakes, but they can be included in a stylization for aesthetic purposes. Animal Crossing: New HorizonsReflectionsWhen light hits a water surface, it can either be reflected (specular reflection) or transmitted into the water, where it may be absorbed, scattered, or reflected back through the surface. The Fresnel effect describes the perceived balance between reflection and transmission: at steep angles, more transmitted light reaches the eye, making the water appear more translucent, while at shallow angles, increased reflection makes it appear more opaqueIn stylized video games, implementations of water reflections vary: RiME, for example, imitates the Fresnel effect but does not reflect the environment at all, only a simple, otherwise invisible cube map. Wind Waker, on the other hand, completely foregoes reflection calculations and renders a flat-shaded water surface.RiMETranslucencyAs an inhomogeneous medium, water scatters some of the transmitted light before it can be reflected back to the surface. This is why water is described as translucent rather than transparent. Some scattered light is not reflected back but absorbed, reducing intensity and shifting color toward the least absorbed wavelengths, typically blue, blue-green, or turquoise. Increased distance amplifies scattering and absorption, altering color perception. Modern real-time engines simulate these effects, including absorption-based color variation with depth. However, stylized games often simplify or omit transmission entirely, rendering water as an opaque surface.RiMERefractionAn additional aspect of water transmission is refraction, the bending of light as it transitions between air and water due to their differing densities. This causes light to bend toward the normal upon entering the water, creating the apparent distortion of submerged objects. Refraction effects also commonly appear in stylized water rendering. Kirby's Forgotten Land, for example, showcases two key visual characteristics of refraction: distortion increases with steeper viewing angles and is amplified by ripples on the water's surface.Kirby and the Forgotten LandCausticsCaustic patterns form when light rays are focused by a curved water surface (caused by waves and ripples), projecting bundled light patterns onto underwater surfaces or even back to surfaces above water. These patterns are influenced by the clarity of the water, the depth of the water, and the strength of the light source. They contribute greatly to the atmosphere of virtual worlds and are often found in stylized games, although only as simplistic representations.The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3DDesign DecisionsDue to the fact that the setting of Nimue is a lake with a calm overall atmosphere, the decision was made to use very reduced gravity waves, as a calm water surface underlines this atmosphere. Capillary waves have too high a level of detail for the stylistic requirements of Nimue and were, therefore, not implemented.NimueShapesThe mood in Nimue can be summarized as calm and mystical. The design language of Nimue is graphic, rounded, and elegant. Shapes are vertically elongated and highly abstracted. Convex corners are always rounded or have a strong bevel, while concave corners are pointed to prevent the overall mass of objects from becoming too rounded.ColorsNimue uses mostly broken colors and pastels to create a serene, reflective mood and highlight the player's character with her saturated blue tones. Platforms and obstacles are depicted with a lower tonal value (darker) to increase their visibility. Overall, the game world is kept in very unsaturated shades of blue, with the atmospheric depth, i.e., the sky and objects in the distance, falling into the complementary orange range. Shades of green and yellow are either completely avoided or extremely desaturated. The resulting reduced color palette additionally supports the atmosphere and makes it appear more harmonious.Color gamut & value/tone tests Hue, Tone & SaturationSince the color of the water, with its hue, tone, and saturation, is technically achieved by several components, a 2D mockup was first designed to more easily compare different colors in the environment. Here it could be observed that both the low and the high tonal value formed too great a contrast to the rest of the environment and thus placed an undesirable focus on the water. Therefore, the medium tone value was chosen.The hue and saturation were tested in relativity to the sky, the player character, and the background. Here, too, the color variant that harmonizes the most with the rest of the environment and contrasts the least was chosen.Foam LinesFor the design of the foam lines, we proceeded in the same way as for the color selection: In this case, a screenshot of the test scene was used as the basis for three overpaints to try out different foam lines on the stones in the scene. Version 3 offers the greatest scope in terms of movement within the patterns. Due to this, and because of the greater visual interest, we opted for variant 3. Following the mockup, the texture was prepared so that it could be technically implemented.ReflectionThe reflection of the water surface contributes to how realistic the water looks, as one would always expect a reflection with natural water, depending on the angle. However, a reflection could also contribute to the overall appearance of the water becoming less calm. The romantic character created by the reflection of diffuse light on water is more present in version 1.In addition, the soft, wafting shapes created by the reflection fit in well with the art style. A reflection is desirable, but the reflections must not take up too much focus. Ideally, the water should be lighter in tone, and the reflections should be present but less pronounced. Reflection intensityRefraction & CausticsEven though most light in our water gets absorbed, we noticed an improvement in the believability of the ground right underneath the water's surface when utilizing refraction together with the waveforms. When it comes to caustics, the diffuse lighting conditions of our scene would make visible caustic patterns physically implausible, but it felt right aesthetically, which is why we included it anyway (not being bound to physical plausibility is one of the perks of stylized graphics).Technical Realization in Unreal Engine 5When building a water material in Unreal, choosing the right shading model and blend mode is crucial. While a Default Lit Translucent material with Surface Forward Shading offers the most control, it is very costly to render. The more efficient choice is the Single Layer Water shading model introduced in Unreal 4.27, which supports light absorption, scattering, reflection, refraction, and shadowing at a lower instruction count. However, there are some downsides. For example, as it only uses a single depth layer, it lacks back-face rendering, making it less suitable for underwater views. And while still quite expensive by itself, its benefits outweigh the drawbacks of our stylized water material.WaveformsStarting with the waveforms, we used panning normal maps to simulate the rather calm low-altitude gravity waves. The approach here is simple: create a wave normal map in Substance 3D Designer, sample it twice, and continuously offset the samples' UV coordinates in opposing directions at different speeds. Give one of the two samples a higher speed and normal intensity to create a sense of wind direction. This panning operation does not need to run in the fragment shader, you can move it to the vertex shader through the Vertex Interpolator without quality loss and thereby reduce the instruction count.Texture RepetitionTo reduce visible tiling, we used three simple and fairly efficient tricks. First, we offset the UVs of the Wave Samplers with a large panning noise texture to dynamically distort the wave patterns. Second, we used another sampler of that noise texture with different tiling, speed, and direction to modulate the strength of the normal maps across the surface. We sampled this noise texture four times with different variables in the material, which is a lot, but we reused them many times for most of the visual features of our water. Third, we sampled the pixel depth of the surface to mask out the waves that were far from the camera so that there were no waves in the far distance.Vertex DisplacementWhile these normal waves are enough to create the illusion of altitude on the water surface itself, they are lacking when it comes to the intersections around objects in the water, as these intersections are static without any actual vertex displacement. To fix that, two very simple sine operations (one along the X-axis and the other on the Y-axis) were added to drive the World Position Offset of the water mesh on the Z-axis. To keep the polycounts in check, we built a simple blueprint grid system that spawns high-res plane meshes at the center in a variable radius, and low-res plane meshes around that. This enables the culling of non-visible planes and the use of a less complex version of the water material for distant planes, where features like WPO are not needed.ColorThe general transmission amount is controlled by the opacity input of the material output, but scattering and absorption are defined via the Single Layer Water material output. The inputs Scattering Coefficients and Absorption Coefficients, which are responsible for reproducing how and how far different wavelengths travel through water, are decisive here. We use two scattering colors as parameters, which are interpolated depending on the camera distance. Close to the camera, the blue scattering color (ScatteringColorNear) dominates, while at a distance, the orange scattering color (ScatteringColorFar) takes over. The advantage is a separation of the water's color from the sky's color and, thus, higher artistic control.Reflections & RefractionReflections in the Single Layer Water shading model are as usual determined by the inputs for Specular (reflection intensity) and Roughness (reflection diffusion). In our case, however, we use Lumen reflections for their accuracy and quality, and as of Unreal 5.4, the Single Layer Water model’s roughness calculation does not work with Lumen reflections. It forces mirror reflections (Roughness = 0), no matter the value input, leaving the specular lobe unaffected. Instead, it only offsets the reflection brightness, as the specular input does.For our artistic purposes, this is fine, and we do use the roughness input to fine-tune the specular level while having the specular input as the base level. A very low value was set for the specular value to keep the reflection brightness low. We further stylized the reflections by decreasing this brightness near the camera by using the already mentioned masking method via camera to interpolate between two values (RoughnessNear and RoughnessFar). For refraction, the Pixel Normal Offset mode was used, and a scalar parameter interpolates between the base refraction and the output of the normal waves.CausticsFor the caustic effect, we created a Voronoi noise pattern by using Unreal's Noise node and exporting it with a render target. In Photoshop, the pattern was duplicated twice, rotated each, colored, and blended. This texture is then projected on the objects below by using the ColorScaleBehindWater input of the Single Layer Water Material output. The pattern is dynamically distorted by adding one of the aforementioned panning noise textures to the UV coordinates.FoamlinesWe started by creating custom meshes for foam lines and applied the earlier texture pattern, but quickly realized that such a workflow would be too cumbersome and inflexible for even a small scene, so we decided to do it procedurally. Two common methods for generating intersection masks on a plane are Depth Sampling and Distance Fields. The first works by subtracting the camera's distance to the water surface at the current pixel (i.e., the "PixelDepth") from the camera's distance to the closest scene object at that pixel (i.e., the "SceneDepth"). The second method is to use the node "DistanceToNearestSurface" which calculates the shortest distance between a point on the water surface and the nearest object by referencing the scene's global distance field. We used both methods to control the mask width, as each alone varies with the object's surface slope, causing undesirable variations. Combining them allowed us to switch between two different mask widths, turning off "Affect Distance Field Lighting" for shallow slopes where narrower lines are wanted.The added mask of all intersections is then used for two effects to create the foam lines: "edge foam" (that does not depart from the intersection) and "edge waves" (which go outwards from the edge foam). Both are shaped with the noise samplers shown above to approximate the hand-drawn foam line texture.Foam PatternsThe same noise samplers are also used to create a sparkling foam effect, loosely imitating whitecaps/foam crests to add more visual interest to the water surface. Since it only reuses operations, this effect is very cheap. Similarly, the wave normals are used to create something like fake subsurface scattering to further distinguish the moving water surface. Interactive RipplesA third type of foam is added as interactive waves that ripple around the player character when walking through shallow water. This is done through a Render Target and particles, as demonstrated in this Unity tutorial by Minions Art. The steps described there are all easily applicable in Unreal with a Niagara System, a little Blueprint work, and common material nodes. We added a Height to Normal conversion for better visual integration into our existing wave setup. Finally, here are all those operations combined for the material inputs:NimueBest PracticesUse Single Layer Water for efficient translucency, but note it lacks back-face rendering and forces mirror reflections with Lumen;For simple low-altitude waves, pan two offset samples of a normal map at different speeds; move panning to Vertex Shader for better performance;Break up texture tiling efficiently by offsetting UVs with a large panning noise, modulating normal strength, and fading distant waves using pixel depth;Sampling one small noise texture at different scales can power this and many other features of a water shader efficiently;If high-altitude waves aren't needed, a simple sine-based WPO can suffice for vertex displacement; implement a grid system for LODs and culling of subdivided water meshes;Blend two scattering colors by camera distance for artistic watercolor control and separation from sky reflections;Combining depth sampling and distance fields to derive the foam lines allows for more flexible intersection widths but comes at a higher cost. Further ResourcesHere are some resources that helped us in the shader creation process:General shader theory and creation: tharlevfx, Ben Cloward;Interactive water in Unity: Minions Art;Another free stylized water material in Unreal by Fabian Lopez Arosa;Technical art wizardry: Ghislain Girardot.ConclusionWe hope this breakdown of our water material creation process will help you in your projects.If you want to take a look at our shader yourself or even use it for your own game projects, you can download the complete setup on Gumroad. We look forward to seeing your water shaders and exchanging ideas. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want to connect.Kolja Bopp, Academic SupervisorLeanna Geideck, Concept ArtistStephan zu Münster, Technical Artist

If I were an avocado, how would I move? Or a strawberry? A spring onion, maybe? These are questions most of us seldom ponder, but they were front of mind for illustrator and animator Emily Redfearn as she created a charming new campaign for one of the UK's biggest supermarket chains. Lidl Foodies is a project that has put groceries in motion, encouraging kids to eat healthily and showing them how to grow their own fruit and veg. It all began with a pitch to create a set of simple yet impactful fruit- and veg-based characters for kids. Emily mocked up the imagery along with some straplines, which opened the door to an extensive animation project. Collaborating closely with Lidl via the campaign agency, Accenture Song, and her talent agency, Roar, Emily then developed the characters further and applied the Lidl colour palette. It happens to be full of primary colours, which are ideal for children. All the while, she kept in mind that the strawberry, lemon, pepper, avocado, spring onion and tomato would come to life in short animations. "We wanted to make sure they all had their own vibe," says Emily. "It was important that we played off the natural shape of the characters. The avocado is very clunky and heavy, so we knew the action would need to reflect that, whereas the strawberry felt very springy and bouncy – both in taste and look – which we reflected in the bouncy movements we gave it." Whenever she needed inspiration for the project, Emily could step out into her garden, where she already grows lots of veggies—including ones in the animations. Using her hands-on experience, she was able to storyboard the instructional content, which some of the art directors tested on their own children. Propagating strawberries is actually trickier to explain than you might think, as Sheffield-based Emily explains: "We debated how literally to take some of the instructions. For example, normally, you shave a piece off a strawberry in order to plant the seeds, as they are so small. In practice, it almost looked gory to have the strawberry peel off its own skin! So, we creatively solved a lot of problems like this by simplifying it down to just a single seed being plucked." WIP: Line work and frames from the storyboard. Initially titled Lidl Growers, Emily developed an impactful logotype for the campaign. While her logotype may not have been deployed, she still had fun creating it, and there may yet be scope for her to expand the Lidl Foodies world. "The amount of work involved in the project was a challenge," says Emily. "There were many moving parts happening at once, with the animations and logo all being developed. It was a dream project in that way – everyone involved, from Lidl to the Accenture Song agency to my own agents Skye Kelly-Barrett and Sally Paley, were all so on the ball that it made the workload run so smoothly."

Posted on : May 15, 2025 By Tech World Times Education  Rate this post Research should be fair, honest, and accurate. But sometimes, bias enters and ruins the results. One common bias is selection bias. It happens when certain people or data are left out. Let’s explore the meaning, causes, examples, and solutions of selection bias in simple words. Define Selection Bias Let’s first simply define selection bias. Selection bias happens when a sample does not represent the full population. It affects research accuracy and leads to wrong or unfair conclusions. If the data selected is not random or fair, bias can occur. To define selection bias clearly: It is a type of error that happens when certain groups are more likely to be included or excluded. As a result, the study does not reflect the full picture. Causes of Selection Bias Let’s look at common causes of selection bias. These are often simple mistakes but with big effects. 1. Non-Random Sampling This happens when participants are chosen on purpose. For example, a survey is only for people in one city. It leaves out others and does not reflect the entire population. 2. Self-Selection Sometimes people decide whether to join a study. This means only people with strong opinions may take part. It creates an unfair sample and leads to bias. 3. Loss to Follow-Up In long studies, some participants stop responding. If many drop out, the remaining group may no longer represent the original group. 4. Exclusion Criteria Researchers sometimes exclude certain data or people. This may be needed, but it can cause bias if not handled carefully. 5. Sampling from a Special Group If you only pick people from a school, hospital, or gym, it may not represent the general population. Examples of Selection Bias Let’s make the meaning more clear with real-life examples. Example 1: Health Study A study on exercise includes only gym-goers. This group is likely healthier than others. So, the results do not apply to everyone. Example 2: Online Poll A poll about internet use is shared only on Twitter. Older people or non-users are left out. This leads to biased answers. Example 3: School Survey A survey about education includes only top-performing schools. It ignores schools with fewer resources. This makes the results unfair. Example 4: Medical Research A drug test only includes young adults. It skips older or sicker patients. The drug may not work the same for everyone. Why Selection Bias Matters Selection bias leads to wrong findings. It can harm real-life decisions, like health, law, or policies. Biased studies may waste time, money, and even risk lives. That’s why it’s important to fix it early. Solutions to Avoid Selection Bias Now that we have defined selection bias and seen its causes, let’s solve it. 1. Use Random Sampling Random sampling means everyone has an equal chance to be selected. It makes the sample more fair and balanced. 2. Ensure Large Sample Size A bigger sample reduces the effect of bias. Try to include as many different people as possible. 3. Keep Participants Engaged In long-term studies, follow up regularly. Use emails, calls, or visits to reduce dropouts. 4. Pre-Test Your Method Before the main study, test your sample plan. See if some groups are missing or over-represented. 5. Be Transparent Always explain how your sample was chosen. Mention any limitations in your study report. 6. Use Weighting Methods If some groups are over- or under-represented, adjust the weight of their data. This helps balance the results. Conclusion To get accurate results, we must avoid bias. Selection bias is a major cause of poor research. It happens when the sample does not represent the whole group. We have discussed what it is, how it happens, and how to fix it. To define selection bias simply: It is when your study misses some parts of the population. This leads to false, unfair, or misleading results. Always choose samples wisely. Avoid shortcuts. Use fair methods and stay honest in your research. This will help you get real, helpful, and trustworthy results. FAQs 1. What does “define selection bias” mean? It means to explain what selection bias is. Selection bias is when the chosen sample is unfair or unbalanced. 2. What is a real-world example of selection bias? A survey shared only online may miss people without the internet. This makes the sample biased. 3. Can selection bias be removed completely? It can be reduced but not always removed fully. Using random sampling and large groups helps a lot. 4. How does selection bias affect research? It makes the results unreliable. You may draw wrong conclusions from the study. 5. Is self-selection a form of selection bias? Yes, when people choose to join a study, it may lead to bias. 6. Why is it important to define selection bias in reports? It helps readers understand the study’s quality and limits. It also shows honesty from the researcher. Tech World TimesTech World Times (TWT), a global collective focusing on the latest tech news and trends in blockchain, Fintech, Development & Testing, AI and Startups. If you are looking for the guest post then contact at techworldtimes@gmail.com