Hedy Lamarr
1914 – 2000
Who was Hedy Lamarr?
Hedy Lamarr (1914–2000) was an Austrian-American film star and inventor. During World War II she co-invented a frequency-hopping system with composer George Antheil, an idea that later contributed to technologies such as Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth.
Key Achievement
Co-invented frequency-hopping technology, the foundation for WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth
Her story
Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress and inventor who pioneered technology that would become the basis for modern WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth. Born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in Vienna, she first gained fame as a film actress in Europe before moving to Hollywood where she became one of the most glamorous stars of the 1940s.
During World War II, Lamarr learned that radio-controlled torpedoes could easily be jammed by broadcasting interference. Along with composer George Antheil, she developed a frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology to prevent the jamming of Allied torpedoes. They received a patent in 1942, but the U.S. Navy initially rejected their invention.
The technology they invented was far ahead of its time. Decades later, their frequency-hopping concept became the foundation for modern secure communications technology, including WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth. The patent entered the public domain before her invention was widely implemented, so Lamarr never received financial compensation for this groundbreaking work.
Throughout her life, Lamarr struggled with being recognized only for her beauty rather than her intellect. It wasn't until the 1990s that she received belated recognition as a technology pioneer. She died in 2000 at age 85, finally acknowledged as both a Hollywood icon and a brilliant inventor whose work shaped the digital age.
Questions people ask about Hedy Lamarr
What did Hedy Lamarr invent?
With George Antheil she patented a 'secret communication system' in 1942. It used frequency hopping to keep radio-guided torpedoes from being jammed.
Did Hedy Lamarr invent Wi-Fi?
Not directly, but her frequency-hopping spread-spectrum idea is an important ancestor of the spread-spectrum methods used in Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth.
How did a piano inspire Hedy Lamarr's invention?
Antheil used synchronised player-piano rolls to suggest how a transmitter and receiver could switch frequencies together. Their patent described 88 frequencies, the number of keys on a piano.
Was Hedy Lamarr recognised for her invention?
Recognition came late in her life. She received the Electronic Frontier Foundation Pioneer Award in 1997 and was inducted into the US National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014.
Sources & further reading
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