Spotlight on the Forgotten Innovators: Hedy Lamarr

Celebrating Visionaries Who Changed the World

Vision: Hedy Lamarr co-invented frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology, the foundation of modern wireless communication.

Challenges: Known primarily as a glamorous Hollywood actress, Lamarr’s groundbreaking scientific contributions were largely overlooked during her lifetime.

Hedy Lamarr, renowned for her captivating presence on the silver screen in the 1930s and 1940s, was a brilliant mind far ahead of her time. Born in Austria in 1914, Lamarr harbored a passion for science and innovation that went unnoticed by many. During World War II, with a desire to contribute to the Allied cause, Lamarr teamed up with composer George Antheil to develop a revolutionary frequency-hopping system. This ingenious technology was designed to prevent enemy forces from jamming radio-controlled torpedoes by continuously switching frequencies, making the signals nearly impossible to intercept.

Despite the innovative nature of their invention, the U.S. Navy initially dismissed it, unable to see beyond Lamarr’s glamorous Hollywood persona. It wasn’t until many years later that her contribution received the recognition it deserved. Today, the principles of frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology underpin many modern wireless communication systems…