Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000 ) and George Antheil (1900 – 1959 ) invented a system which allowed radio waves to jump onto different frequencies. The idea was originally to stop the US Navy’s radio signals being jammed by their enemy in World War 2.
Hedy’s invention of radio frequency jumping technology was a vital step in the development of Wi-Fi. Although Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil successfully received a patent for their idea in 1942, it wasn’t recognised until many years later when an updated version was used during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.
Hedy Lamarr was not only a scientists, but also a famous Hollywood actress in the 1930s and 1940s.
What does Wi-Fi stand for?
Some people think Wi-Fi stands for Wireless Fidelity, but it actually doesn’t stand for anything!
What is Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that allows wireless devices such as laptops and mobile phones to access the internet.
Most people use a small wireless router to connect to the internet.
What radio frequencies are used for Wi-Fi?
Currently radio frequencies of 2.4 gigahertz and 5 gigahertz are used.
If you want to learn more about the history of Wi-Fi the National Museum of Australia has a great overview.
Last Updated on May 11, 2022 by Emma Vanstone
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