Not in the History book: Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr was born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary November 1913.  Lamarr started her career in acting as a teenager and gained international notice in 1933.  Due to unfortunate events and a bad divorce she moved to the United States.  She was an Austrian-American actress during the “Golden Age.”  She starred in films such as Lady of the Tropics, Samson and Delilah, Tortilla Flat, and Boom Town.  She was known for being one of the most exotic and gorgeous women in Hollywood’s leading ladies.  1

What is not as well known about her is that she was a mathematician and an inventor.  She was influential in developing technology that would be later used for wifi and Bluetooth.  Lamarr proposed frequency hopping (radio signals along a rapidly changing frequency) to be used to communicate for American radio-guided weapons which would be more resilient to jamming and detection.   Lamarr along with her partner composer George Antheil patented their technology in 1942.  This technology had not been used until 20 years later and was eventually recognized by the Electronic Frontier Foundation in 1997.  She was honored with a special Pioneer Award and was the first woman to receive the “Invention Convention’s BULBIE Gnass Spirit of Achievement Award.” 2

Hedy Lamarr: Not just a pretty face 

Works Cited
1. https://www.biography.com/people/hedy-lamarr-9542252
2. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/hedy-lamarr-not-just-a-pr/

Pictures

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