Five Things that the "Most Beautiful Woman in the World" Taught Us About Innovation
Whenever we go into the Imagination Room at Science House for inventing sessions, I draw inspiration from thinking about the magnificent Hedy Lamarr.
Born Hedwig Eva Maria Kiesler in Vienna on November 9, 1914, she became internationally famous in 1933, when she became the first actress to appear nude on screen. Her real accomplishments as an inventor, however, are far more dazzling than “the most beautiful woman on the world” was on screen.
Without her, we might not have cell phones, defense satellites and wireless Internet. So what can we learn about innovation from Hedy Lamarr?
1) Take risks. Hedy fled her country and husband in 1937. “It was his game to keep me prisoner,” she said, "It had been my game to escape. He lost.” On the trip to the United States she landed a Hollywood contract. She also gave herself a new name, Lamarr, after the sea, La Mar.
2) Collaborate. Five years after her film debut, at a dinner party in Hollywood, she met an avant-garde composer and shared her idea to protect US radio-guided torpedoes from enemy interference. She left her number in red lipstick on his windshield so the discussion could continue. The pair patented the invention and presented it to the United States Government for a “Secret Communications System” to help defeat Hitler.
3) Create the Future. Today, the science in this patent serves as the basis for the technology used in cell phones, pagers, wireless Internet and defense satellites, to name a few devices.
4) Don’t rush. "The world isn't getting any easier,” Hedy Lamarr once said. “With all these new inventions I believe that people are hurried more and pushed more... The hurried way is not the right way. You need time for everything, time to work, time to play, time to rest."
5) Be Curious. “Hope and curiosity about the future seemed better than guarantees. That’s the way I was. The unknown was always so attractive to me, and still is.”
Hedy Lamarr’s children created HedyLamarr.org, which reveals some of the details of her life and paintings, including the beautiful one above, by her daughter, Denise Loder Deluca.
Director, Projects & Operations at Greentech Agri-Bio Product Research Centre
10 年Rita, I liked your post. Thanks.
Director of Acquisitions & Development at Abrazo Homes - Managing Partner at Seasonal Magic LLC. 40 Under Forty honoree.
11 年Mackenzie Bishop, "Hedy Lamarr" just might be in contention for the prestigious Abrazo Homes, remarkable women competition. I can dig it....
Publisher, Seller of books , ebooks , Video Lecture on Amazon , Flipkart , studymaterial.oureducation, onlinekhanmarket
11 年Is Justice Katju comment acceptable or Mrs Bacchan Comment acceptable as representative of Indian Citizens , why not they should be removed from there respective positions for advocating for a criminal. Why conviction for only criminal from Kashmir https://blog.oureducation.in/should-sanjay-dutt-escape-law-from-mumbai-blast-case-1993/
Director of Recruiting at Aris Search
11 年Come. On. Take risks? Chasing any dream, starting any business is going to have risks involved and anyone who has spent more than 5 seconds thinking about quitting their job to become a sword swallower in Tahiti knows this. And I know you're not seriously comparing this woman's (implied) abusive relationship and horrible country to making some dumb business decision. Collaborate. Sure, why not? Create the future. So you're saying that I'm in charge of my own destiny? Never would have guessed. Don't rush. Yeah, but what about the other idiots out there that could have my idea? Plus I'm not getting any younger. I'm sure ol' Hedy wasn't in a rush to flee her country and ditch her husband. I think she probably took her time with that one. Be Curious. Sometimes, curiosity kills the cat. Guess it depends on the how much risk you'd like to take.
writer & voiceover talent
11 年Thanks for this. All 5 are good points, but for me--collaborate is what stands out. Whether an idea is already good, or dreadfully bad--collaboration leads to success.