Hedy Lamarr (1914–2000) was an Austrian-American actress and inventor who, alongside composer George Antheil, developed frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology during World War II. Though initially conceived to prevent the jamming of radio-controlled torpedoes, this invention became the foundation for modern wireless communications including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS.
Early Life
Born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler on November 9, 1914, in Vienna, Austria, Lamarr showed an early aptitude for both performance and engineering. Her father, a bank director, encouraged her curiosity about how things worked—they would take walks together during which he explained the inner workings of machines[1].
She became a film actress in Europe, gaining notoriety for the controversial 1933 film “Ecstasy.” In 1933, she married Fritz Mandl, an Austrian arms manufacturer. During her marriage, Lamarr attended business dinners where military technology was discussed, gaining knowledge of weapons systems and torpedo guidance that would later prove significant.
Escape and Reinvention
Unhappy in her marriage, Lamarr fled Austria in 1937, eventually reaching Hollywood. Louis B. Mayer signed her to MGM, rechristening her “Hedy Lamarr.” She became one of the biggest movie stars of the 1940s, appearing in films including “Algiers,” “Boom Town,” and “Samson and Delilah.”
But Lamarr was more than a movie star. In her spare time, she maintained an inventor’s workshop in her home.
The Invention
After the outbreak of World War II, Lamarr wanted to contribute to the war effort. She learned that radio-controlled torpedoes were vulnerable to enemy jamming—adversaries could block the guidance signals, causing torpedoes to miss their targets.
Lamarr conceived of a solution: rapidly switching the radio signal between multiple frequencies in a pattern known only to sender and receiver. An enemy listening on any single frequency would hear only brief bursts of noise, unable to jam the communication[2].
She partnered with George Antheil, an avant-garde composer known for his “Ballet Mécanique,” which used synchronized player pianos. Together, they developed a system using paper rolls—like player piano rolls—to synchronize the frequency changes between transmitter and receiver.
The Patent
On August 11, 1942, Lamarr (under her married name Hedy Kiesler Markey) and Antheil received U.S. Patent 2,292,387 for their “Secret Communication System”[3].
The Navy showed interest but didn’t implement the invention during World War II, partly because the mechanical implementation seemed impractical for torpedoes. The patent expired in 1959 without being used.
Legacy
However, the concept of frequency-hopping spread spectrum proved far more valuable than its creators imagined:
- 1962: An updated version was used in ships during the Cuban Missile Crisis
- 1985: The FCC allocated spectrum for spread-spectrum technology
- 1997: IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standards incorporated spread spectrum
- Today: Bluetooth, GPS, cellular networks, and military communications all use spread spectrum techniques
Recognition
For decades, Lamarr received no recognition for her invention. That changed in the 1990s:
- 1997: Electronic Frontier Foundation Pioneer Award (with Antheil)
- 1997: BULBIE Gnass Spirit of Achievement Award (first woman recipient)
- 2014: Posthumous induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
Lamarr died on January 19, 2000, in Casselberry, Florida. Her dual legacy—as a Hollywood star and technology pioneer—has made her an icon of hidden genius and a symbol of underrecognized women inventors.
Sources
- Wikipedia. “Hedy Lamarr.” Biography and early life.
- IEEE Standards Association. “Actress/Inventor Hedy Lamarr.” Technical details of her invention.
- National Inventors Hall of Fame. “Hedy Lamarr.” Patent and recognition.