Sunday, June 30, 2013

Hedy Lamarr and the Beauty of Citizen Science

There is beauty in science...from the prismatic effects that form rainbows to the rainbow of colors in a peacock's tail.  But there is also beauty in citizen science, as in the case of classic Hollywood Bombshell and pioneering inventor Hedy Lamarr. 

As a woman born nearly a century ago (November, 1913) it is time to celebrate some of her many accomplishments.  You can also read more about all these in Richard Rhodes' recent book, "Hedy's Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most Beautiful Woman in the World.

Born in Austria as the daughter of a successful banker, he would teach young Hedy not just about banking but also all the other wonders of the world.  Much of this occurred during their frequent long walks through the Vienna Woods.  "Whenever they went together, he explained to her how everything worked - 'from printing presses to streetcars' she said.  Her father's enthusiasm for technology links her lifelong interest in invention with cherished memories of her favorite parent." 

She also learned much from her first husband, rich industrialist Fritz Mandl.  As an important munitions provider to both Mussolini and the Axis powers in the run-up to World War II, he would hold frequent parties with high-ranking military commanders and casually discuss recent developments in weapons technology.  While the men would talk freely Hedy would take careful notes in her head; the men just saw a pretty face but inside she understood all they discussed.  She was then able to use that knowledge when she left the marriage and came to America in the mid-1930s.

In many ways her looks were both a blessing and a curse.  They certainly helped her forge an exciting film career at the age of 19, receiving positive reviews in Europe which allowed her to start a new career with MGM once in America.  Since the movies she acted in only required a total of 2-3 to produce, it provided her money and free time to support herself independently and gave her freedom to engage her scientific interests.  But her looks also held her back.  It was tough to get her ideas recognized and have people take chances on her inventions.  "It also annoyed her deeply...that few people saw beyond beauty to her intelligence.  'Any girl can be glamorous,' she famously and acidly said, 'All you have to do is stand still and look stupid.'"

For many of these reasons her own accomplishments have been called into doubt.  For years even those people who recognized the importance of her inventions didn't give credit to her scientific capacity.  Instead they chalked it up to her skills at eavesdropping and copying the plans overheard during her life with Mandl.  But that belittles her own accomplishments.  After all, it's one thing to hear about a potential invention and a whole different thing to actual reduce it to practice.  In fact that's the essence of our patent system...it doesn't count to have a basic idea you also have to make it work.  Looking back the Austrians and the Germans didn't reduce any of these inventions to practice.  They even had the benefit of large teams of scientists working on the problem.  Instead, it was the understanding, insight, and perseverance of Ms. Lamarr that made them work.

In many ways this is common to many of us in the citizen scientist world.  While not all are Hollywood bombshells, many still labor under the bias of traditional scientists who are not always able, or willing, to accept our accomplishments.  And Hedy Lamarr was definitely a citizen scientist.  As noted in various places through Mr. Rhodes' book:

Hedy invented as a hobby.  Since she made two or three movies a year, each one taking about a month to shoot, she had spare time to fill in.  She didn't drink and she didn't like to party, so she took up inventing....In Hollywood she set up an inventor's corner in the drawing room of her house, complete with a drafting table and lamp and all the necessary drafting tools....Spending evenings working at home working on an invention may sound surprising today, especially for a movie star, when so many other activities beckon through the Web.  In 1938 the most common intellectually stimulating entertainment available at home were books, card and board games, and musical instruments.  Hedy invented as a hobby.  "Howard Hughes once lent her a pair of chemists," Forbes magazine reports, "to help her develop a bouillon-like cube which, when mixed with water, would create a soft drink similar to Coca-Cola. 'It was a flop,' she says with a laugh."  Her daughter, Denise, remembers a tissue-box attachment Hedy invented for disposing of used tissue.  Hedy invented to challenge and amuse herself and to bring order to a world she thought chaotic.

As World War II approached she wanted to do more than just helping to sell war bonds (which he did very successfully).  She wanted to put her knowledge to use.  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. 

Hedy said that she did not feel very comfortable, sitting there in Hollywood and making lots of money when things were in such a state.  She said that she knew a good deal about munitions and various secret weapons, some of which she had invented herself, and that she was thinking seriously of quitting MGM and going to Washington, DC to offer her services to the newly established Inventor's Council.  'They could just have me around,' she explained, 'and ask me questions.'" 

Her greatest breakthrough came as she and Antheil developed a remote-controlled torpedo that would be protected from jamming.  There had long been a desire to improve the accuracy of torpedoes by letting a ship fire them and have a spotter plane, far off in the distance, manually guide them toward the target with radio waves.  But given the current technology an opponent could just broadcast on the same signal and block the guidance.  Hedy's idea was that the ship and spotter plane should "frequency hop"...this random change of radio signals would make it difficult to jam since the enemy would never know what signal to block.  The key was to have the torpedo and spotter plane synchronize right before firing, and then change frequencies independently on a pre-determined basis. 
The basic components for such a system admittedly existed already. But nobody had ever put them together.   Even back in the 1940s Philco had created a remote-control for radios that used varying frequencies to change the channel, adjust volume, and other things.  Additionally, George Antheil had done much work on ways to synchronize player pianos so they would be completely in sync with each other.    Combining these two in a tiny package was Hedy's job.   
Invention in hand Hedy now had two options for getting it adopted...receiving a US patent and selling the concept to the Navy.  Sadly, at this time the Navy had two bigger problems than torpedo jamming; years of neglected research before Pearl Harbor left the Navy with torpedoes that ran too deep, missed their targets, and often failed to explode upon impact.  They need to figure out the basics and were not yet ready for the complex solutions Hedy offered.  So the Navy passed on Hedy's invention.  Fortunately, in August, 1942 Hedy Lamarr and George Antheil received Patent Number 2,292,387 for their "Secret Communication System".
At the same time Hedy Lamarr developed a few other inventions, such as an anti-aircraft shell fitted with a proximity fuse.  But the greatest value lay in her initial work with frequency hopping.  This technology allows communications between multiple people to be shared without interfering with one another.  Although kept classified for many years, the military at least realized that potential and incorporated Hedy's ideas into many secret communications systems after the end of World  War II.  But it's biggest impact would be in the private sector.
"[The discovery of frequency-hopping] enabled the development of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, the majority of cordless phones sold in the US, and myriad other lesser-known niche products.  The Global Positioning System (GPS) uses spread spectrum.  So does the US military's $41 billion MILSATCOM satellite communications network.  Wireless local area networks (wLANs) use spread spectrum, as do wireless cash registers, bar-code readers, restaurant menu pads, and home-controlled systems.  So does Qualcomm's Omni-TRACS mobile information system for commercial trucking fleets.  So do unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), electronic automotive subsystems, aerial and maritime mobile broadband, wireless access points, digital watermarking, and much more.


A study done for Microsoft in 2009 estimated the minimum economic value of spread-spectrum Wi-Fi in homes and hospitals and RFID tags in clothing retail outlets in the U.s. as $16-$37 billion per year.  These uses, the study notes, "only account for 15% of the total projected market for unlicensed [spectrum] chipsets in 2014, and therefore significantly underestimates the total value being generated in unlicensed usage over this time period."  A market of which 15 percent is $25 billion would be a $166 billion market.

Sadly Hedy did no receive the recognition she richly deserved.  Whether because people weren't ready for a citizen scientist to achieve so much, or because they could not imagine a beautiful woman could be responsible for such innovation, or just because of the secrecy of military technologies, it is hard to say.  But the neglect was real.  As recounted by Rhodes:
"Hedy followed these developments.  Sometimes she felt bitter about her lack of recognition as an electronic pioneer.  In 1990, when she was seventy-five, she told a reporter for Forbes magazine how she felt.  "I can't understand," she said, " why there's no acknowledgement when it's used all over the world."  The reporter noted that she was "six times divorced and now living in Miami on a Screen Actors Guild pension" and couldn't help feeling she'd been wronged.  "Never a letter," Hedy added, "never a thank you, never money.  I don't know.  I guess they just take and forget about a person."

But that is not the end of the story.  Late but not forgotten, US Army Colonel Dave Hughes started making the connections between Hedy Lamarr's accomplishments and our modern world.  Thanks to his efforts in 1997 the Electronic Frontier awarded their sixth annual Pioneer Award to Hedy, then eighty-two years of age.  In her most humble voice, she said "I hope you feel as good as well as I feel good about it, and it was not done in vain.  Thank you."  A few years later she was awarded the Viktor Kaplan Medal by the Austrian Association of Patent Holders.    Since then the world has begun to better understand her role in our modern communications system, as well as learning that the Hollywood beauty shouldbe best known for her formidable brain.

"Hedy's fondness for invention remained with her until the end," writes her biographer Ruth Barton.  "She had a proposal for a new kind of traffic stoplight and some modifications to the design of the Concorde [the Anglo-French supersonic passenger airliner that flew from 1976-2003]. There were plans for a device to aid movement-impaired people to get in and out of the bath, a fluorescent dog collar, and a skin-tautening technique based on the principle of the accordion."
Sadly Ms. Lamarr passed away in 2000.  But her legacy lives on in our mobile phones, GPS maps, and Wi-Fi systems.  And it lives in with our continued recognition of the works of citizen scientists, and the work of beautiful women with equally beautiful minds.

44 comments:

  1. The way toward applying for home advances with terrible credit is truly straightforward, particularly while applying on the web. All that is required is for the important points of interest to be gone into the application page, and the submit catch to be clicked. However, comfort and speed won't help secure endorsement. payday loans

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is amazing to visit to free online xbox gaming. Thanks for the post.

    ReplyDelete
  3. thank you very useful information admin, and pardon me permission to share articles here may help

    Obat kebas
    Cara menyembuhkan mastitis
    Obat sirosis hati

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. very useful article, thank you very much and pardon me permission to share the article here admin :

    Obat kanker leukimia
    Obat tradisional anemia
    Obat infeksi saluran pernafasan

    ReplyDelete
  6. toko online tas murah bandung disini tunggu apa lagi segera diorder ya sis gudang grosir lebih murah pusat distributor tas batam agen supplier gudang grosir lebih murah toko grosir yang jual sling bag anak saat ini
    toko tas kipling murah bandung kian menjamur apalagi sling bag anak merupakan salah satu fashion pokok bagi anak anak yang wajib untuk dipenuhi saat ini sling bag anak anak tersedia dalam pilihan model yang
    jual tas ransel wanita sangat beragam baik sling bag untuk anak laki laki maupun anak perempuan toko tas laptopdan aksesoris online murah terpercaya pusat penjualan tas laptop di bandung selamat
    harga tas tote bag datang di toko tas laptop online terpercaya distributor tas batam resmi dan supplier tas laptop grosir tas laptop supplier aksesoris tas laptopdi surabaya distributor tas batam tas
    harga cath kidston dengan laptop case di dalamnya toko tas laptop online dan aksesoris tas dengan laptop case di dalamnya harga murah dan terpecaya aneka warna sablon toko online murah jual produk handbag aneka variasi warna
    grosir tas sekolah anak di bandung belanja toko online shop di kota pekalongan jual bermacam sling bag online batik online murah blus online murah tas online murah handbag online murah jaket online murah handbag
    toko tas cath kidston ransel mini online murah accesoris online murah dari bermacam merk terkenal di indonesia yang jual model handbag terbaru online harga murah syafa handbag toko online terpercaya tempat
    jual tas ransel mini kanvas lucu jual model handbag terbaru backpack untuk pria wanita anak keren modis trendy v harga murah v berkualitas v koleksi terupdate modern toko jual barang murah online modern toko

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Guys I'm Archana Kumari one of the most trusted call girls service provider. If you are now irritated with your wife on bed and want to have new experience of sensual activities with new female partner rather than to have the old and boring intercourse with the same flesh of your wife, then
    Please follow me on the links given bellow.
    Thanks.

    Mumbai Escorts
    Escorts in Jaipur
    Call girls in Kolkata

    Call girl in Mumbai
    Model escorts in Mumbai
    Escorts in Mumbai

    MumbailCall gils
    Kolkata Escorts agency
    Kolkata Call girls
    ===================

    ReplyDelete
  8. Fajartoto is the Bandar Togel Terpercaya, Online Togel Agent, Trusted Online Togel & Situs Casino Online that has been proven to be a trusted place to place online lottery betting numbers for online lottery lovers and Judi Casino Online. Fajartoto as the Trusted Online Bandar Togel, Online Togel Agent and Trusted Togel Site that provides 9 official online lottery markets such as SGP pools, lottery pools, lottery pools, canadia pools, togel saigon pools, Siamese pools, khmer pools , lottery israel pools and toto macanese 4D pools. Please come to visit my website Syair Togel Hongkong and Prediksi Togel Hongkong

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great Article it its really informative and innovative keep us posted with new updates. its was really valuable. thanks a lot. Lifestyle

    ReplyDelete
  10. Very interesting information, worth recommending. However, I recommend this: wholesale beauty products

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank you because you have been willing to share information with us. we will always appreciate all you have done here because I know you are very concerned with our. cbd bath bombs

    ReplyDelete
  12. Your skin can be made to look great, it could be made to sparkle in the sun and even under fake brightening. It doesn't make a difference in the event that you have skin inflammation or pimples, or you need to look more youthful than you really are. A decent delight spell can generally work the magick for you. There is dependably the right one for everybody.
    Beauty

    ReplyDelete
  13. What is an outstanding post! “I’ll be back” (to read more of your content). Thanks for the nudge! Eye Treatments

    ReplyDelete
  14. Additional Advice Whatever you do, dependably expel your makeup establishment before you slide between your sheets. Leaving makeup all over can unleash some genuine devastation on your appearance.https://plasticspot.io/plastic-surgery-sanjose

    ReplyDelete
  15. This is a great post. I like this topic.This site has lots of advantage.I found many interesting things from this site. It helps me in many ways.Thanks for posting this again. mehndi designs

    ReplyDelete
  16. Verdant green vegetables contain nutrients, minerals (particularly iron and calcium) and are high in cancer prevention agent properties. They support the skin and shield it from untimely maturing. Green Beauty Blog

    ReplyDelete
  17. Tea tree oil is a powerful anti-fungal and antibacterial product, which makes it very effective for getting rid of acne. Melaleuca oil is effective because it is good at fighting off bacteria which can cause acne. You should use clean cotton to apply the melaleuca oil to your skin. Visit this link: skincaretour.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Do these assistance you structure that ideal picture to expand your internal quality, or is it through sheer will and assurance that you sustain the body your given to give you this magnificence.
    Allure Beauty

    ReplyDelete
  19. The following morning, you may watch the positive consequences of this saturating face cream. You can show a truly smooth and sparkling tone. Thus, a lady can enjoy her own one of a kind delight routine regardless of whether she is occupied with her customary calendar. Cosmetics

    ReplyDelete
  20. Your salon ought to have the option to offer nitty gritty skin examination, serious sauna and spa treatment and a scope of particular administrations including: propelled recuperating, electrolysis, mineral cosmetics and back rub sessions. Chub Rub

    ReplyDelete
  21. There are new and better healthy skin and other excellence reaches brought into the market day by day. Question emerges is that Are these excellence reaches improve regular looks? These items go from shower salts, body creams, sweet-smelling oils, cleansers, healthy skin, hair care and cosmetics.
    Personalized Skincare

    ReplyDelete
  22. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  23. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Magick can actually make you feel good about yourself and the world around yourself. Beauty spells can alter a lot around you; they can make the world beautiful and charming. The three easiest beauty spells that can work for you are. 남성중점치료병원

    ReplyDelete
  25. Pick something highly unique so that not only do you separate yourself from other labels, but you also create a name that will stick in people minds. Dutch Label Shop

    ReplyDelete
  26. the Harley rider, or to any stouthearted motorcyclist regardless of affiliation, it's the first official sign of Spring. Warning Shorts

    ReplyDelete
  27. Aw, this was a really nice post. In idea I would like to put in writing like this additionally – taking time and actual effort to make a very good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate alot and by no means seem to get something done.

    Click Here
    Visit Web
    Support.advancedcustomfields.com

    ReplyDelete

  28. Excellent post. I was checking continuously this
    blog and I am impressed! Extremely helpful information specifically the last part :
    ) I care for such information much. I was seeking this particular
    info for a long time. Thank you and best of luck.

    my blog post === 부산오피
    (jk)


    ReplyDelete
  29. An interesting discussion is worth comment. I think that you should write more on this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers

    Hub.docker.com
    Information
    Click Here
    Visit Web

    ReplyDelete
  30. I discovered your blog site on google and check a few of your early posts. Continue to keep up the very good operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking forward to reading more from you later on!…


    Click Here
    Visit Web
    Cmidonostia.es

    ReplyDelete
  31. Easily, the article is actually the best topic on this registry related issue. I fit in with your and will eagerly look forward to your next updates. Just saying thanks will not just be sufficient, for the fantastic lucidity in your writing. I will instantly grab your rss feed to stay informed of any updates
    온라인카지노

    wep

    ReplyDelete
  32. Good write-up, I'm regular visitor of one's blog, maintain up the excellent operate, and It is going to be a regular visitor for a lengthy time 슬롯추천
    (mm)

    ReplyDelete
  33. This course is especially designed to teach healthcare managers CPR skills for patients coming from different demographics, Cpi certification nursing,

    ReplyDelete
  34. I think other website proprietors should take this website as an model, very clean and great user genial style and design, as well as the content. You are an expert in this topic!SEO

    ReplyDelete
  35. Of course, your article is good enough, 카지노사이트 but I thought it would be much better to see professional photos and videos together. There are articles and photos on these topics on my homepage, so please visit and share your opinions.


    ReplyDelete
  36. After study a few of the blog posts on your website now, and I truly like your way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website list and will be checking back soon. Pls check out my web site as well and let me know what you think.

    Muabs.com
    Information
    Click Here
    Visit Web

    ReplyDelete
  37. An interesting discussion is worth comment. I think that you should write more on this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers

    Amarmp.com
    Information
    Click Here
    Visit Web

    ReplyDelete
  38. Hello! I just would like to give a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.

    Amarmp.com
    Information
    Click Here
    Visit Web

    ReplyDelete
  39. Candidates who are Going to Appear in Tripura Board 7th can easily get Qualified by Preparing through Tripura Board 7th Model Paper 2022 Pdf. Without wasting more time, Comprehend the Underneath segment of this page of as it contains entire details regarding Tripura Board 7th Sample Paper 2022 Download pdf version, Primary and High School Students Comprises Questions that can be asked in the Examinations. TBSE 7th Class Question Paper Tripura Board 7th Model Test Paper 2022 available for each and every subject at the beneath section, so please have a look. Tripura Board 7th Exam Model Question Paper Subjects Published by Tripura Board of Secondary Education Only, Students looking for TS Board 7th Model Paper 2018 in Pdf can follow Download Direct Link of the , Tripura Board 7th Formative (FA) and Summative (SA) Exam Pattern, Previous Question Paper 2022 Student You can Download from Official websites also.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your blog and wanted to mention that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing on your feed and I am hoping you write
    again very soon!

    Old.evermotion.org
    Animal.doctorsfile.jp
    Alliedacademies.org

    ReplyDelete