Hedy Lamarr
Movie star and inventor of wireless signal-hopping technology.
Their Story
Hedy Lamarr was a famous Hollywood actress who was also a self-taught inventor. During World War II, she and composer George Antheil co-invented a 'frequency-hopping' system meant to keep radio-guided torpedoes from being jammed. Her ideas later helped inspire technologies used in wireless communication.
Era
1900s
Field
Wireless Communication
Hedy Lamarr
Movie star and inventor of wireless signal-hopping technology.
Technology · Wireless Communication · 1900s · Women in STEM, Immigrant Innovators
Their Story
Hedy Lamarr was a famous Hollywood actress who was also a self-taught inventor. During World War II, she and composer George Antheil co-invented a 'frequency-hopping' system meant to keep radio-guided torpedoes from being jammed. Her ideas later helped inspire technologies used in wireless communication.
Key Innovation
Co-invented a frequency-hopping system that influenced modern wireless communication.
Why It Matters Today
Concepts from her invention echo in technologies like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth that connect our devices today.
Learn More
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedy_Lamarr
- Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hedy-Lamarr
Wilkinson STEM Education Foundation · 251 American Innovators · wilkinsonstemfoundation.org
