Invisible Earpiece Ploy Backfires on Chinese Exam Cheater
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CHENGDU, China -- A Chinese student's elaborate plot to cheat on an exam came unstuck when a hidden earpiece became lodged in his ear.
The scheming scholar inserted a tiny, James Bond-style gadget into his left ear to covertly relay the answers to his college English test, the Shanghai Daily reported.
But Zhang Hao's plan backfired when the bean-sized device slipped down into his sensitive ear canal and became stuck.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 22-year-old made a full confession to his doctor in Chengdu, the capital of China's southwestern Sichuan Province, and the physician was able to dislodge the 200 yuan ($32) earpiece with a pair of forceps.
Zhang said he was desperate to pass the exam to ensure he could find a job when he graduates next summer, the Shanghai Daily explained.
Similar devices have prompted warnings from examiners and education chiefs across the globe.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Available over the internet, they typically link up to cell phones or MP3 players, and some voice-activated versions incorporate highly sensitive microphones that can detect a student's voice, even if they whisper.