European attendees tend to be more reserved on the trade show floor, while U.S. and Canadian attendees are social gadflies. Who knew? A large telecommunications equipment maker, that's who. The organization uncovered that interesting factoid about its attendees when it hosted a recent trade show for 1,800 international resellers and equipped each one with a name badge created by nTAG Interactive, the Boston-based creator of a "smart" badge. nTAG enables planners to capture detailed information about attendee traffic and other activities (see graphic) and provides tools for targeted networking, session interactivity, and lead generation.The badges are essentially wearable computers that enable attendees and exhibitors to exchange product and contact information as well as share personal information that can serve as icebreakers when networking. All the participants need to do is enter some personal information into an electronic file before the meeting or event and the information will be displayed on their name badges. "It helps build bridges between attendees quickly," says George Eberstadt, nTAG co-founder. "When two attendees agree to exchange their badge information, they can immediately see if they have any common interests they could discuss."The badges also can monitor which booths attendees visit on the trade show floor and the duration of their visits. And all of this information can be gathered and reported in real time, enabling the planner to make adjustments to an event as it is happening. For more information about nTAG, visit www.ntag.com or call (877) 682-4937.