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Forget swiping your mobile phone to enter a business conference, delegates attending an event in Melbourne have been injected under the skin with a microchip.

Officially known as a Near Field Communication (NFC) microchip, it will be used as a three-day conference pass at the Pause Festival early next year.

After the event the chip can be reprogrammed to pull up a website, open an app or recall details of business contacts.

Injectable technology is still in its infancy but this is a very clear sign that we are entering a brave new world where robotics and humans are beginning to merge.

If your not convinced, check out our story on the world's first Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered data centre operator.

Known as Dac, the AI tool identifies electrical problems or server failures. Apparently, the ultimate goal is to eventually clone your best employees.

Will robots be the next untapped resource to drive the next wave of world economic growth? We all know robotics are already used extensively in manufacturing and I have to admit I am excited by the idea of a robot mate.

Imagine a companion that cooks, cleans, keeps secrets, is never judgemental or critical – sounds like the perfect husband to me. But seriously, technology that is making air conditioners smarter is around IoT systems.

Bosch Research in Singapore has provided staff with IoT sensors to control the temperature in the canteen in a bid to make it more comfortable.

Engineers set up a system which allows workers to have the air conditioning set to individual tastes. The sensor device has two buttons – red for hot, blue for cold.

Energy efficient fans connected to the cloud can be remotely adjusted to direct air flow. When diners press a button, it changes the fan speed and temperature settings. This is done via a telemetry message to the Bosch IoT Suit running on the Bosch IoT Cloud.

Of course, the system collects plenty of data to calculate optimum set points for both the fan and air conditioning. So far the trial has halved cooling demands and reduced carbon dioxide emissions by eight tonnes.

While the use of sensors and IoT devices is something we expect to see more of in future, I am not so sure about being injected with a chip.

Even worse, imagine being forced to compete with your very own clone at work. We all know the human condition is inherently flawed. I don't stand a chance competing with my cloned self who has all the skills, but none of the failings.

Brave new world indeed!