FITS IN POCKET.

Western Star, 2 August 1938, Page 3

FITS IN POCKET.

TELEPHONE DEVICE A vest pocket telephone nearly “J conspicuous as the wireless device wr which Wells, in ‘Things to Come, pro vided future men in their glove gauntlets, was tried out in London recently. It is hot wireless, and its range ' limited, hut with it it is possible t( speak through the walls of a room, without connection. ' . It has been fitted in Gaumont Palace in Camden Town (London). It consist* of earphones and a box which, without special seats or plugging in, will enable the deaf to hear talkies and at the same time move, about. , Not content with that, a man walked out into the street, and wandered round the building listening , through reinforced .walls to Sir Ambrose Flenriygdiscoverer of the wireless valve, telling the audience about this marvel. Concealed microphones, automatically adjusting themselves as the actors mov' about the stage, will enable “galleryites” or “pittites” to hear as clearly a those in the front stalls. In a fast-travelling cal’, conversat’oi could be established witli a car in front. Imagine q “Courtesy Cop” giving yoi a- friendly word of advice without even stopping you! The invention is being taken up by the Home Office in connection with A.R.P. A tiny microphone and earphone equipment in a gas mask makes it possible for the person inside tc carry on normal conversation. Another application is in mines. With these instruments trapped miners could talk t 0 their rescuers .through, a wall of rock.

A big West End store is having the device installed so that the night watchman patrolling the top storys can hear a burglar ransacking the bargain basement.