Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress and inventor. She was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1914. She was a famous Hollywood movie star. She also co-invented a technology called frequency hopping that is used in WiFi and Bluetooth today.

Early Life

Lamarr was born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in Austria. She was very smart and loved tinkering with things as a child. She became a movie star in Europe as a teenager. She moved to Hollywood and became one of the biggest stars in the world.

Big Achievements

During World War II, Lamarr and composer George Antheil invented a radio signal system that could not be jammed by enemies. They patented the technology in 1942. The military did not use it at first. Decades later, their invention became the basis for WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS technology.

Fun Facts

• Lamarr was called the most beautiful woman in the world by Hollywood.
• She and George Antheil got the idea for their invention from player piano rolls.
• Her patent expired before the technology was widely used, so she never made money from it.

Did You Know?

Lamarr did not receive recognition for her invention during her lifetime. In 2014, she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Today she is celebrated as both a glamorous movie star and a brilliant inventor.