Wanting to help thwart the Nazis during World War II, Lamarr became interested in creating a secret communications system that could be used to guide torpedoes.
After the tragic sinking of the SS Benares by German Submarines and the death of 406 passengers (90 children) she joined up with composer-turned-inventor George Antheil, a neighbor, to create a frequency-hopping system -- based on the 88 keys in pianos -- that would keep enemies from being able to detect the radio messages," CNN reported. "They received a patent for their idea, although the limitations of technology at the time prevented it from being implemented until after World War II."
Their system eventually formed the basis for modern wireless communications technology, utilized in cordless phones, cellular phones, satellite communications, Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth. In 2014, Lamarr and Antheil were even inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
What caused me to post this? I'm a submariner, and her earliest inventions include an improved traffic stoplight, and later, and improvement to the Concorde
Speaking of Hedy Lamar, here's a good one from 'Blazing Saddles':
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzbhbetwYFU
(In one of the other scenes, when she's seducing the sheriff and the lights go out, they thought of this line: "I hate to disappoint you, ma'm, but you're sucking my arm." Sadly, it didn't make the cut).