Expert360 has offices in Australia and the US with over 7,000 consultants on its books covering a variety of skills. Their digital platform makes it easy for a company to get the skills it needs and includes invoicing, contracts, and payments. Consultants bid on jobs ranging from $1,000 to $80,000 for government and business projects and charge on average $100 per hour. Interest in such a service is increasing due to both companies and employees wanting more flexibility. Companies that have used its services include Australia Post and Virgin. www.Expert360.com

The Art Gallery of Western Australia has introduced a robot tour guide. The 58 centimetre tall robot called Aggie will take tours around parts of the gallery every month. The tours, designed to appeal to both adults and children, will engage viewers with information about the painters and the paintings. She'll engage you by looking at you, walking with you and singing, as well as talking. http://www.artgallery.wa.gov.au

International Watch Co, also known as IWC, is a luxury Swiss watch manufacturer in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. It was founded by American watchmaker Florentine Ariosto Jones in 1868 and continues to build a successful brand with innovative advertising.

Hidden in the handle of this sleek Davek umbrella is a tiny Bluetooth-based chip. This chip broadcasts a silent signal, read by your smart phone. By connecting the chip to your phone you are able to establish a link between your umbrella and you. www.davekny.com

Failure is the best experience you can ever have- though it's better if you can learn from other people's failures so you don't have to go through it yourself. Converting your own failures to success takes a lot of resilience.

A Beijing company has designed an elevated bus that can glide over traffic. It's called the Transit Explore Bus or TEB and plans were showcased this month at a technology expo in Beijing. It's supported by two legs that run along rails laid on the roadside which allow the bus to glide at speeds of up to 60km per hour. Vehicles that are less than 2 metres high will be able to drive freely underneath the bus, even when it's stationary.