In a long-overdue move, Saudi Arabia has lifted the ban on female drivers. This display of openness from the kingdom will not only impact the country’s image on the global stage, but open its auto market to the other half of its 32 million-strong population.

A robot controlled by thought alone is on display at the Expo Sciences International in Abu Dhabi. Designed and built from scratch by students, a headset reads brain signals and interpret commands - which are then transmitted to the robot via Bluetooth.

Set in a violent, near-apocalyptic Detroit, RoboCop played with the idea of crime-eradicating cyborgs. But what was a mere movie in 1987 is now set to become a reality. In Dubai, the world’s first robotic police officer is gearing up to patrol the city streets.

Worldwide spending on robotics and related services is predicted to reach $135.4 billion by 2019 – but one thing hindering AI's progress is the 'uncanny valley'. This describes the unsettling feeling one experiences when a robot looks or acts too much like a human.