A new Black Mirror episode has cast a chilling outlook on the rise of robotic companions like Boston Dynamics' nimble mechanical'dogs.' Boston Dynamics' videos chronicling the dogs' progression have risen to viral fame – but, despite their popularity and incredible abilities, some people, including the show's creators, have noticed something unnerving about the robo-dogs. In a new episode titled'Metalhead' from the just-released fourth season, Black Mirror explores what could happen if these machines turned on us, revealing the terrifying quest for survival in a world where robo-dogs can outrun and outsmart humans. For viewers, the appearance of the human-hunting robo-dogs may feel shockingly close to home. The episode came about, in part, 'from watching Boston Dynamics videos,' creator Charlie Brooker told EW Robert Daly presides over his crew with wisdom and courage. But a new recruit will soon discover nothing on this spaceship is what it seems.'

Artificial intelligence (AI) has continued to gain prominence in 2017 as one of the biggest upcoming technologies. It is beginning to have more of an influence on companies' strategies and is predicted to drive significant change for organisations. You forgot to provide an Email Address. This email address doesn't appear to be valid. This email address is already registered.

The aim is for a SMET robot to be able to carry 1,000 pounds across more than 60 miles in 72 hours. Whether you're interested in trucks, tanks, motorcycles, armored vehicles or ATVs, 2017 was a great year, with lots of incredible machines. And it was a year in which lots of out-of-the-box advances – some might even say shocking – were revealed. Where do we find these insider machines? I also meet with military and private sector innovators to closely evaluate the vehicles and put them through their paces. In the eye-popping category, it will be hard to surpass the military's announcement that they've figured out how to use urine as fuel for vehicles in war zones.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has continued to gain prominence in 2017 as one of the biggest upcoming technologies. It is beginning to have more of an influence on companies' strategies and is predicted to drive significant change for organisations. Every conference this year contains a dead human genius reincarnated as software system or a robot. Yes, there is a lot of hype, but there is real worth in AI and Machine Learning. Read our counseling on how to avoid adopting "black box" approach.

This year in self-driving car news started with Mayor Bill Peduto hoping for a better relationship with Uber and ended with policy recommendations from Carnegie Mellon University students on using autonomous vehicles to improve access to public transit. In between, the city's self-driving scene grew by two. Ford invested $1 billion into Pittsburgh self-driving startup Argo AI and Aurora Innovation launched, bringing the number of autonomous vehicle testers in the city up to five -- Aptiv (formerly Delphi), Argo AI, Aurora Innovation, CMU and Uber. But there's still a way to go before we're all multitasking as our cars drive themselves. For one thing, laws need to be created. And the technology needs to get there, too.

The events of this year have some Mother Jones readers turning to books for perspective and comfort. Leonard Jay Hastings of Manchester, Michigan, picked up The Plot Against America and tells us this book about a dictatorship "reminds the reader that the corrective measures lie with the citizen public and not primarily with our present elected officials." Others like Emily Wilkinson in Pasadena, Texas, have immersed themselves in other worlds. Emily says The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "provided a welcome escape from reality." We asked you to tell us which books helped get you through 2017.

Over the course of 2017, we saw some major steps forward when it comes to autonomous vehicles. This technology has been on the horizon for some time, but it's finally hitting the streets in various forms. In July 2017, a US House Committee gave its approval for the SELF DRIVE act, a groundbreaking piece of legislation intended to underpin the safe introduction of autonomous vehicles. The bill is set to allow automakers to field 25,000 such cars in their first year of deployment, up to an annual cap of 100,000 over three years. While the SELF DRIVE act has passed the House, it is yet to pass the Senate -- although the Senate has given its approval to other legislation that will influence the access autonomous vehicles have to our road networks.

Boeing recently offered a first glimpse of its newest military aircraft, a large, stingray-shaped drone it hopes will win an intense Navy competition to build an uncrewed aircraft capable of landing on an aircraft carrier. Drones have been a vital part of the Pentagon's arsenal for years, but the competition for a Navy carrier-based version that can refuel jet fighters in the midair would mark a significant advancement in the technology -- and become another sign how the military is increasingly integrating robots into the way it fights. In addition to Boeing, two of the Pentagon's top suppliers, General Atomics and Lockheed Martin, are also vying for a contract to build as many as 76 of the vehicles that would become operational in the mid 2020s. Bids are due Jan. 3, setting the stage for a high-stakes competition in 2018. Though the Navy has not yet released the value of the contract, an earlier incarnation of the effort--in which the drones would both serve as refueling aircraft and have attack capabilities -- would have been worth $3 billion through 2022.

The private sector sets a high bar for customer experience as companies continue to innovate and exceed expectations in many realms, leaving federal organizations in catch-up mode. According to Forrester's 2017 Federal Customer Experience Index, 80 percent of federal agencies measured have overall scores that fall into the "mostly poor" or "very poor" categories, compared with 22 percent of private sector companies. Agencies are trying to up their game. Many have conducted customer surveys and made more services and information available online. These are good first steps toward improving customer experience, but federal leaders need to do more.

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