Lamarr Patents Frequency Hop: Wi-Fi's Ancestor Born
Hedy Lamarr, the Austrian-born Hollywood actress, and George Antheil, an avant-garde composer, received U.S. Patent 2,292,387 on August 11, 1942, for a "Secret Communication System" that used frequency hopping to prevent radio-guided torpedoes from being jammed. The Navy dismissed the invention during the war, partly because Lamarr was an actress and Antheil was known for composing music for synchronized player pianos. The technology sat unused for decades. In the 1960s, the military adopted frequency hopping for secure communications during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Today, the principle is foundational to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and all cellular networks. Lamarr received no royalties and was not recognized for her contribution until the 1990s.
August 11, 1942
84 years ago
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