Hedy Lamarr, Female Inventor of the Basics of Bluetooth Technology, GPS to Wi-Fi

However, Lamarr is better known as a film artist than an innovator.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — In the world of technology, names like Alan Turing, Nikola Tesla, or Alexander Graham Bell have adorned the history of many of the world’s most important innovations. The story about them is also eternal, despite the presence of various new technologies today.

However, the truth is that in various major discoveries in the world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), many women have also contributed. However, stories about them are not as popular as their other colleagues.

From inventions and kevlar carbon to blueprints for the first computer programs, pioneering women are also behind some of the biggest STEM inventions.

Reported from We Are Tech Woman, there are many names of women who have been pouring their thoughts into various technological developments that we currently enjoy.

One of them is Hedy Lamarr. Lamarr was born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler. She is an Austrian-born actress, film producer, inventor and mathematician.

One of his famous films is Samson and Delilah and White Cargo. Quoted from Womanhistory.org, in 1940, Lamarr met US co-inventor George Antheil at a party. Antheil also remembers Hedy at that time as one who looked uncomfortable because he made a lot of money in the Hollywood film industry, but in the midst of war.

“After getting married, he had knowledge of ammunition and various weapons which proved useful. So, we started to work on ideas to develop a new communication system,” said Antheil.

This new system can be used for the purpose of guiding torpedoes to their targets in war. The way it works is by involving the use of “frequency jumps” between radio waves, with the transmitter and receiver jumping to a new frequency simultaneously.

The concept of this frequency jump, over time, became the rationale for various digital technologies that we know today. Among them, Bluetooth, GPS, and Wi-Fi. Applying the concept can prevent the interception of radio waves thereby allowing the torpedo to find its intended target. Lamarr and Antheil sought patents and military support for the invention.

Although finally the patent was granted with number 2,292,387 in August 1942, the US Navy apparently decided not to apply the system. Until finally Lamarr’s patent expired before he could enjoy the material benefits of the innovation he developed. Lamarr’s name is better known as a film artist than an innovator.