This Movie Star Invented the Tech Behind Wi-Fi

The Movie Star Who Invented the Tech Behind Wi-Fi She was one of the most famous movie stars in the world. And she invented the idea behind Wi-Fi. Her name was Hedy Lamarr. In the 1940s, Hollywood called her the most beautiful woman in the world. But after filming, she went home and did something no one expected. She invented things. During World War Two, radio-controlled torpedoes could be jammed by the enemy. Her idea: make the signal jump between frequencies, so no one could block it. With composer George Antheil, she used the idea of a player piano to keep the hops in sync. In 1942, they got a patent. But the Navy didn't use it. They told her to help sell war bonds instead. Decades later, frequency hopping helped lay the groundwork for the wireless world. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS use related ideas. In 1997, she was finally honored for her invention. And in 2014, she entered the National Inventors Hall of Fame. So the next time you connect to Wi-Fi, remember. One of the most famous movie stars in the world helped invent the idea behind it.