Robots everywhere, driverless cars…

Many of the devices on show sound like the stuff of science-fiction. But even if most are not yet ready for release, their developers are at least able to show off working prototypes.
 
The Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Systems and Device Technology is at the event holding live demonstrations of a system that creates a connection between cars and traffic lights.
 
The system is designed to eliminate accidents by forcing cars to slow down when they approach a traffic light that is about to change to red.
 
The institute’s Oliver Sawade said that the technology could be used on the road within five years.
 
 This car shrinks by up to 50cm (19.7in) to squeeze into tight spaces "Your car will be able to come to your place once you call it, without a driver," he added.
 
"And when you arrive at your destination it will be able to go to the garage by itself."
 
Shrinkable cars
 
Metres away the German Robotics Innovation Centre is showing off a vehicle that can shrink to squeeze into tight parking spaces.
 
The EO Smart Connecting Car also saves space by avoiding the need for an engine in a bonnet or boot. Instead its engineers have put small engines in each of its four wheels.
 
The vehicle can also be folded or connected to other similar cars to create a "train". The centre’s Timo Birnschein said that the innovation would allow those taking part to share and save energy.
 
"With newly developed technologies, vehicles can be mechanically and electrically docked together in order to transfer data and electric power from one vehicle to the next," he said.
 
"It is thus possible to steer several vehicles at a time and to drive in the slipstream. This way, traffic jams can be reduced and large quantities of energy can be saved."
 
Britain’s Engineered Arts’ singing "Robothespian" attracted attention for its rendition of Singing in the Rain and Star Wars impersonations.
 
The android is being marketed as an educational guide. Its developers now plan to link up the machines’ brains via the cloud so they can share information between each other.