It has been roughly four decades since industrial robots - with mechanical arms that can be programmed to weld, paint and pick up and place objects with monotonous regularity - first began to transform assembly lines in Europe, Japan and the U.S. Yet walk the floor of any manufacturer, from metal shops to electronics factories, and you might be surprised by how many tasks are still performed by human hands - even some that could be done by machines.

After watching the price of oil and the size of their profits plunge, a dozen top executives from some of the nation's largest oil exploration companies flew to Washington late last winter on an urgent mission: push Congress and the White House to allow unlimited exports of American crude oil.

It takes a lot of work for retail brands to deliver a remarkable experience. It can be done, however, by making sure the environment touches each of the five senses.

Industrial production was transformed by steam power in the nineteenth century, electricity in the early twentieth century, and automation in the 1970s. These waves of technological advancement did not reduce overall employment, however. Although the number of manufacturing jobs decreased, new jobs emerged and the demand for new skills grew. Today, another workforce transformation is on the horizon as manufacturing experiences a fourth wave of technological advancement: the rise of new digital industrial technologies that are collectively known as Industry 4.0.

Even in an era in which people are accustomed to rapid technological advancement, robots arouse unusual curiosity and strong emotion.

In 2014, a total of 11,625 heavy equipment thefts were reported to law enforcement - an increase of 1.2 percent from the 11,486 reported in 2013, according to a report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the National Equipment Register.

Most companies derive mobile apps from their websites, but Taco Bell has done the opposite. Building on the success of its e-commerce mobile app, the chain has revamped and renamed its website, extending the ability to order and pay via personal computers and tablets as well as enhancing the overall digital customer experience.