In a world where futuristic developments roll out on the regular, ROBO researches the need to know robotics news - so you don't have to. Here are the highlights from the week of May 2-8 in the world of robotics and automation:

MUST SEE VIDEO OF THE WEEK: For the second episode of the New York Times’ Bits video series called Robotica, journalists dive into the world of Navy robots. The autonomous bots are currently being tested and used in San Diego at a research facility. Researchers identify the possibilities and problems that come along with developing robots of this kind.

SELF DRIVING SEMI: The state of Nevada has given the go ahead to Daimler AG, one of the largest truck manufacturers in the world, to test its autonomous truck on the open road. This will be the first time the self-driving heavy freight truck will be driven without restriction, after over 10,000 miles of driving on practice courses. These trials will give Daimler access to crucial information as to how the the vehicle works in uncontrolled environments.

FAA LOOSENS UP: While the FAA remains cautious for drone rulings due to the newness of the technology, the administration plans to announce an initiative that will study drone flights outside the view of the operator.

This plan gives hope to major corporations like Amazon and Google who hope to use the technology as a delivery system. When first announced, these applications were hampered by the regulations. However, the FAA is shifting their original regulatory stance, clearly recognizing the commercial possibilities.

LA LOOKS TOWARD AUTONOMY: LA mayor, Eric Garcetti, announced plans to expand the city’s use of autonomous vehicles and ride sharing. The city is currently on the hunt for an advisor on autonomous vehicles, bicycle systems, and ride sharing programs. For a city that’s culture is undebatably driven by cars, this is a pivotal step towards green technology.

The new position is opening up with the Department of Transportation as a year long fellowship program. "It's about time the car capital of the world planned for the future of transportation in the digital age—moving beyond the car to bikes, ride-shares, and autonomous vehicles," said Mayor Garcetti in his announcement.

COBOTS CONTINUE TO MAKE WAVES: In the most recent issue of Forbes Magazine, Alex Knapp dives deep into the world of cobots and their growth capabilities. “The Job Of the Future Is Training Robots To Work With Humans” addresses the importance of robots and humans working together. The piece introduces you to six of the major cobot players with a variety of applications, including index company ABB’s new cobot YuMi.