A covert earpiece is a very small listening device that is often worn by
someone who wishes to be able to wear an earpiece and not have it be visible.
The advantage of such an earpiece is that the wearer is able to use it as a
radio accessory and yet not have others be aware that they are using an
earpiece to communicate with others.
A covert earpiece is often referred to as either a surveillance earpiece or
invisible earpiece and it is quite common for the likes of law enforcement
officers on undercover assignments, security personnel, government agents, and
also spies, both corporate and government to wear such a device while
undertaking tasks that require privacy and secrecy.
While radio headsets are quite commonly used by people in many
occupations to communicate with one another, the covert style of earpiece is
usually reserved for occasions and circumstances that require sensitivity and
privacy when communicating. Those personnel conducting surveillance and / or
working in private security would most likely opt for this form of earpiece
over a more visible style, allowing communication to occur without alerting
others close by. There are many other examples where an invisible earpiece
could be worn: attempting to cheat on an exam where the wearer would have
someone else 'feeding’ them the correct answers to the questions, or when
trying to cheat a casino by having an unfair advantage over other players. In
this last instance, such as at a poker table, the cheating player may have
someone stand in an advantageous position on the opposite side of the table and
provide information regarding the cards of the other players.
One industry in which the use of covert earpieces is quite common
practice is on-air television. Newscasters, sportscasters, talk show hosts and
even the weather presenter may all wear an invisible earpiece when live on air,
allowing them to receive critical information or instruction without the
viewers being aware. Engineers and producers have the ability to communicate
with the on-air personalities while airing live and direct them as needed, to
ensure that everything proceeds without a hitch. This is particularly helpful
with live television where a re-take is not an option, or when a story may
break during a news bulletin and the information can be fed immediately to the
newscaster, who in turn will advise viewers of the late-breaking news.
A covert earpiece can be beneficial for anyone making a public speech. The
speaker can be directed by someone behind the scenes and even given cues to
help them remember what to say next, all the while leaving the audience without
any awareness of it happening. This is a common practice and can save a speaker
from the embarrassing situation of a temporary loss of train of thought. A
quick reminder via the earpiece and the speech can continue with any evidence
of a slip. Prominent people such as politicians who are often subject to
criticism of their public-speaking abilities can find being assisted via a
covert earpiece ensures they do not make a newsworthy 'blunder'.
There are covert earpieces that are designed for the wearer to receive
communication only and then there are others that are designed with a
microphone in them, allowing two-way communication. Those personnel responsible
for ensuring security and / or conducting surveillance can discreetly
communicate with each other, an essential asset for these types of tasks. The
convenience of having a hands-free means of communicating is also advantageous,
particularly when security
personnel are blending in with the crowd and do not want anyone alerted to their
presence.
A covert earpiece fits discreetly into the ear or sometimes on a pair of
eyeglasses and has no visible wiring, and yet the wearer is able to hear
clearly and distinctly everything being communicated to him or her. As the name
suggests, it is designed to be invisible’ to anyone but the most observant person.
While not completely invisible, most people are quite unaware that a person is
wearing a covert earpiece. In some instances there may be a wire that is
covered by a person’s collar. This is called an inductive wire and although its
purpose is to be a sound modulator it is in fact a separate radio device and is
not connected to the earpiece.
