Hedy Lamarr is often mistakenly credited with "creating" Wi-Fi, but this claim is misleading. While a viral meme juxtaposes her image with tech giants like Jack Dorsey, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs—who were all prominent figures in the tech industry—Lamarr's actual contributions are rooted in her work during World War II, not in the development of modern wireless technology.

Born in 1914 in Vienna, Lamarr was primarily an actress, not a tech entrepreneur. After leaving her husband, she became a Hollywood star, yet her connection to Wi-Fi is tenuous at best. The technology that enables wireless communication, commonly referred to as Wi-Fi, was established in the 1990s by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a group Lamarr was never part of.

The meme suggests she somehow invented the concept of frequency hopping, a method to prevent enemy jamming of torpedoes during the war, which she proposed alongside composer George Antheil. Their patent described a system where both the torpedo and its control ship would change frequencies simultaneously using perforated rolls of paper, somewhat akin to player pianos. However, this idea was not the same as what Wi-Fi relies on today.

In reality, Wi-Fi is a communication protocol that facilitates wireless device connectivity, detailing the frequencies used and how data is transmitted. While early versions of Wi-Fi explored frequency hopping, it was ultimately abandoned for more efficient methods like direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) and orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM), which dominate modern technology.

Hedy Lamarr's notion of frequency hopping may have been intriguing, but it was not unique to her. Inventors like Dr. Gustav Guanella, who filed patents in the 1940s, had already explored similar concepts, illustrating that Lamarr's contribution was not as groundbreaking as often claimed.

Moreover, the narrative that places Lamarr at the forefront of technological advancements undermines the achievements of contemporary female scientists and engineers. Women in STEM fields today are making significant strides, proving their brilliance and expertise. Figures like Professor Anja Feldman and Dr. Andrea Goldsmith exemplify the impact women can have when barriers are removed.

In conclusion, while Hedy Lamarr was undoubtedly a talented individual, the oversimplified narrative that she "made" Wi-Fi does a disservice to the complexity of technological development and the real contributions of women in science. It is crucial to celebrate genuine achievements without resorting to myths that distort history.