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Don’t go away when the adverts come on. A British company has come up with a
trick that it hopes will keep you watching your TV or the cinema screen or
listening to the radio. Roke Manor Research, a British subsidiary of Siemens,
has filed international patents on a badge that viewers and listeners will wear
(WO 00/38159). The badge is pre-programmed with a unique code and contains a
miniature microphone that picks up an audible signal embedded in the ad’s
soundtrack. When the signal matches the pre-programmed code, an LCD on the badge
lights up to let the lucky wearer know they are a winner.