Robopocalypse Report #29:

Drones:

That looks like the killer app for drones!

GoPro's prototype quad copter with video camera sneak peak.

Walmart has applied to the FAA to begin testing drones for home delivery.

Google wants to start drone deliveries in 2017.

Australia's postal service plans on starting to deliver packages to rural communities in 2016.

Nigeria wants to deploy drones to help stop crime in Lagos.

AIG wants to insure your drones against damage and damage to others' property.  

The guy who shot down a drone he claimed was hovering over his property was charged with a crime, as reported before.  However, the judge in the case just dismissed the entire case stating the  man had the right to go John Connor on the drone.

There's a group trying to repurpose ex military drones to reforestation work.

Kansas University built a giant cage to test drones in to get around the FAA restrictions.

Most ski areas have banned drones.

A drone tried to do the Brit thing and fly weapons and drugs into an Oklahoma prison.

A drone knocked out power in West Hollywood.  Doh!

Those just adds fuel to the fire of those wanting the FAA to register all drones.  Some even think the registry doesn't go far enough.

The FAA also wants to be able to take over drones that are too close to sensitive places.

This is the team of 25 people going to be doing the registration at the FAA.

Canada thinks certain places need to be protected from drones, not for safety reasons, but privacy.

When the Robopocalypse comes, we can protect ourselves with pumpkins!   I think the pumpkin needed to be registered with the FAA though.

Self Driving Cars:

Here's the differences between Tesla Autopilot and Google's Car.

Nissan has a concept electric self driving car and here.  The car has taken to Japan's streets.

Mercedes has unveiled its own self driving car in its 'Social Commuting' Concept.

Digitally connected cars are far, far easier to spy on.

Bosch wants self driving cars to recognize pedestrians.

Here are some of the companies building the self driving cars for Apple and Google.

Companies are waiting for the DMV rules for self driving cars.

Some think the future with self driving cars could be a nightmare.

Others say the data from self driving cars and their accidents is misleading.

Does Detroit even have a remote chance of being the center of the self driving car future?

Does GM want to team with Google for self driving cars?

Google's self driving car learns to deal with Trick or Treaters.

How cities can prepare for self driving cars.

Tokyo plans to have a robo taxi service in place for the 2020 Olympics.

What will the self driving truck do to the supply chain?

Robotics:

Robotic hands get a soft touch.

An Irish startup (from the creators of skype) wants to deliver up to 20 lbs of groceries via a robot (see pic) instead of a drone.

Humber River Hospital in Toronto uses robots extensively.

Here's more on Oregon State University's walking robot technology.

MIT has developed a bot to drift through the sea in  a swarm to study the oceans.

Swiss researchers developed a robot dog that can teach itself to walk.

Blueberry growers have offered a $250k prize for a bot that can pick the fruit.

Yamaha developed a robot that can ride a motorcycle.

More on the Swiss construction bot.

Service bots are finally being embraced.

Cyborgism:

Was is Boring is profiling how robotic prosthetics are catching up to what nature gave us.

Software Bots:

Siri is refusing to answer unless you are subscribed to Apple Music.

And forget Siri, there's a new way for a bot to speak to people.

Economics:

These jobs are most at risk of being replaced in the first years of the robopocalypse.

This piece argues we ought to be embracing the robopocalypse.