Interesting Radio History Factoid

[Zappa]

You can thank 1940s sex symbol Hedy Lamarr for today's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices
A new book details how the actress helped invent spread-spectrum radio technology, the precursor of modern wireless communications.

Full Story >>> http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/resea...940s-sex-symbol-hedy-lamarr-for-todays-wi-fi-

 

[jasons]

It's Hedley.

 

[cockpitbob]

She's rich, hot, apparently really, really smart and didn't drink or party. She's also donated all her patents and didn't make a dime off of them. What a contrast to today's Hollywood types who are selfish, stupid, chemically dependent self-absorbed pricks who need lots of surgery to be beautiful.

 

[mark056]

Hedy was the real deal...one of those renaissance type persons to whom fate gave the whole enchilada to, beauty, sensuality and intelligence. A pretty amazing story and career, actually.

 

[bejay]

Just listened to the SciFri pod cast

She and her Companion (composer friend) developed and received a patent for frequency hopping encryption. The technology just wasn't available to make it possible, although they did consider some magnetic coil solution. The idea pitched in the patent was similar to a player piano roll. The Navy just looked at it and didn't give it any thought beyond player piano. She donated the patent to the navy.

It apparently was the navy that resurrected the patent when thay needed a solution for sonobouys to transmit data.

Interesting stuff.

 

[brokenwire]

Isn't that something.