What will the stores of the future look like? Japanese mobile provider Softbank thinks robot assistants are the way to go, and have announced that 'Pepper' – the "world's first personal robot with emotions" – will be staffing two Tokyo branches on a trial basis.

Technology is part of every aspect of our lives. But amongst the innovation, there are questions about what exactly we’re trading in for these advancements. Do smartphones actually disconnect us? Has Google made us stupid? And is making friends with robots messing up our kids?

While the immediate future is unlikely to yield AI pseudo-human carers, the notion of robots aiding the elderly is closer than ever. All over the world – especially in Japan, where more than a quarter of the population is over 65 – technology and healthcare are starting to overlap.

Catching a plane can be stressful, and 67% of people agree that saving time is the most important factor in the airport experience. In turn, the Dusseldorf airport in Germany is introducing a service where people will be able to save time by letting a robot park their car for them.