Cancer is a worldwide issue. Statistics show that 17 million cases of the disease were diagnosed across the globe last year alone. Depressingly, the same research suggests there will be 27.5 million new cancer cases diagnosed each year by 2040. Although the stats don't necessarily spell good news, it's important to note that diagnosis, treatment, and in turn, patient outcomes have improved significantly. If we look back at the 1970s, less than a quarter of people with the disease survived.

Robots are increasingly picking up the slack in package distribution centers. Honeywell and Siemens have unveiled new machines that are capable of autonomously ferrying packages from the tractor trailer to the fulfillment center with surprising accuracy, according to Bloomberg. It comes as consumers increasingly expect two-day or even same-day delivery, causing shipping companies to embrace automation as a solution to meet the spike in demand. Both Honeywell and Siemens' robot unloaders drive up to the back of a tractor trailer and use machine learning to identify packages. And, the companies say their machines work just as fast, if not faster, than human employees.

A 25-tonne self-driving truck is hitting British roads in a bid to speed up time-consuming roadworks plaguing the nation's highways. The vehicle can carry a 40-tonne load and has been fitted with gadgets originally developed for autonomous trucks in Australian mines. It is being tested off the A14 in Cambridgeshire where work is under way to upgrade a 21-mile (34km) stretch of the road between Cambridge and Huntingdon. It is hoped that autonomous trucks could be developed to operate round the clock, meaning work is finished faster. Dumper trucks are used to move excavated earth, with around 10 million cubic metres moved by 200 dumper trucks during the A14 upgrade.

A flexible, snakelike robot could serve as a vital lifeline for bringing the northern white rhino back from the brink of extinction. Scientists at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) have partnered with the San Diego Zoo to develop the unique device, which they believe could assist with the artificial reproduction process for rhinos. The northern white rhino has been nearing extinction for some time, with just two specimens left in the world, both of which are female. A flexible, snakelike robot could serve as a vital lifeline for bringing the northern white rhino (pictured) back from the brink of extinction. Scientists are now'racing against the clock' to save the species, which has been decimated as a result of habitat loss and poaching.

A sister company of Google, Alphabet's Wing Aviation, just got federal approval to start using drones for commercial delivery. Amazon's own drone-delivery program is ready to launch as well. As drones take flight, the world is about to get a lot louder – as if neighborhoods were filled with leaf blowers, lawn mowers and chainsaws. Small recreational drones are fairly loud. Serious commercial drones are much louder.

Spotify is jumping into the voice technology game. The streaming platform is testing voice-controlled advertisements for some users in the U.S., it revealed on a call with investors this week, according to TechCrunch. Currently, the promotions are only for services inside its own app, but that could change over time. Spotify is jumping into the voice technology game. The firm is testing voice-controlled advertisements for some users in the U.S., it revealed on a call with investors this week Here's how the technology works: When non-Premium users are listening to a song, they'll hear an advertisement for a playlist.

Vegetables sold by California-based startup Iron Ox might be organic, but the farmer cultivating them is far from it. The company behind the robotic and hydroponic farming system is now taking the first step towards going to market in California. According to a report from The Verge, Iron Ox is partnering with Bay Area produce purveyors Bianchini's Market, to put several varieties of its robot-grown leaf greens on shelves for the first time. For now, Iron Ox's greens will come in the three different varieties: red-veined sorrel, Genevieve basil, and baby lettuce, at prices that are competitive with those at shoppers' average Whole Foods. Iron Ox will begin selling its robot-farmed produce in California for the first time.

Use of AI within wealth management has the potential to revolutionise a sector struggling with digital change, but according to Tim Waterton, VP of UK Business at M-Files, any use of automation must be applied smartly and not simply for the sake of it. The wealth management sector is facing a growing need for technology-led change, driven by a new generation of wealth. AI could hold the answer, but many wealth managers are struggling when it comes to implementation. A recent poll amongst 500 private wealth executives shows that AI represents both a major challenge and opportunity, with over a third (36 per cent) of respondents admitting they have struggled to capitalise on the technology. Waterton agrees that AI has the potential to transform the way wealth management professionals deliver services to clients and streamline their processes, but also advises caution relating to over-automation.

Approximately 15.5% of the global population is affected by mental illnesses, and those numbers are rising. Although there are many who require treatment, more than 50% of mental illnesses remain untreated. In the United States, one in five adults suffers from some form of mental illness. Every 40 seconds one person dies from suicide and for every adult who dies from suicide, there are more than 20 others who have attempted to end their life. The ramifications of this go beyond our families and cultures as mental health also has a tremendous economic impact for the cost of treatment as well as the loss of productivity.

I've just spent a couple of days at O'Reilly's Strata Data Conference in London and got a much better idea where the world of big data, machine learning (ML) and AI may be heading. These sectors have developed rapidly over the last 5 years with new technologies, processes and applications changing the way organisations are managing their data. The Strata conference provides a good barometer of what the state-of-the-art is in big data manipulation as well as the concerns of developers and users. Eight key points emerged for me from the event. I spoke with O'Reilly's Chief Data Scientist and Strata organiser, Ben Lorica about this and he sees the increased bandwidth and flexibility of 5G as well as the move to edge computing as key enablers.