Wi-Fi & Bluetooth (spread-spectrum)

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Who

Hedy Lamarr, an Austrian-born Jewish actress and inventor, with the composer George Antheil

When

1942

Where

United States

Hedy Lamarr fled her Austrian marriage and Nazi Europe, became a Hollywood star, and in 1942 patented with George Antheil a frequency-hopping system meant to keep torpedo guidance from being jammed. The idea was shelved by the Navy and rediscovered decades later: spread-spectrum is the principle underneath Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS.

Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.