Berlin a magnet for unruly start-ups

If you thought that technology wasn't going to take over your life soon, then you didn't visit the Cube Tech Fair in Berlin. There start-ups from around the world showcased their latest ideas for digital health, infrastructure, machinery and interconnectivity. Let's have a look at some of the newest ideas popping up at the show.

Hardly any new gadget captures the imagination like drones. They come in all shapes and sizes and are changing how we see the world through their cameras. They allow park rangers to look after huge areas with wildlife populations and are also proving to be disruptive to traditional delivery services.

Even Robin Wright got in on the act. Besides starring in House of Cards, she is a passionate advocate for human rights and is fighting against the deadly conflict minerals trade. These minerals end up in all of our tech devices - everything from your toaster to your iPhone.

Berlin-based start-up BigRep focuses on large-scale 3D printing. This machine allows companies to print prototypes quickly, cutting down on development time - and therefore cost. What here looks like flat plastic strings, will soon be something very 3-dimensional.

As promised another visit to BigRep a little while later and that same flat design has now taken on a life of its own. Smoothing, finishing and coating are all part of the process. If approved by a client, the company can print the final positives for molds or casts to be used in making end products. With 60 employees it is a good-sized start-up with a serious business plan.

So far the cars of the future still have a steering wheel. Unfortunately they still won't fold up into a briefcase like in the Jetsons. But who knows what is coming down the road. Start-ups around the world and big manufacturers in Stuttgart and Detroit are all working on new design ideas. The next best innovation may be right around the corner or driving itself.

Ai Build has added its own software, cameras and sensors onto a German-built Kuka robotic arm which printed this geometric design. The robots learn from past jobs and can build up a databank of information in order to make ever-better choices. So far the company has worked for engineers, designers, architects and construction sites. They want to expand into building paneling on a large scale.

These gloves save time and movement by integrating a scanner which workers constantly need. Founded at the end of 2014, the start-up behind ProGlove now has 45 employees. Its sensor gloves are used by auto manufacturers, delivery services, grocers and warehouses. The company sees endless possibilities for its product. Maybe though it too should come in different colors.

It's not quite 2017: A Space Odyssey. But soon technology with artificial intelligence may finally take over. Are these robotic arms looking for investors, just showcasing what they do, or trying to get swallowed up by a bigger company? Here a team from Aachen University is showing off its entry in an automation challenge sponsored by Bayer.