Innovators Driving Wireless and Technology Forward

Wireless technology plays an important role in our daily life, shaping how we work, learn, manage our health, and stay connected with those we care about. This Hispanic Heritage Month, ACTwireless is shining a light on leaders whose ideas and inventions have strengthened these connections. Their work has introduced devices that monitor health, tools that make learning easier, and systems that help us communicate more effectively. We often take these contributions for granted, but they reveal the practical and far-reaching impact of wireless innovation.

Dr. María Artunduaga: Harnessing Sound to Protect Lungs

Colombian-born physician and scientist Dr. María Artunduaga has focused on one of the most urgent health challenges today, chronic lung disease. She founded Samay to develop Sylvee, a small chest patch that uses sound-based technology and artificial intelligence to track how well a patient’s lungs are working.

By detecting early changes in airflow, the patch can alert patients and doctors to potential flare-ups before they become emergencies. The data is sent wirelessly to a smartphone app, where AI tools help interpret breathing patterns. For millions living with respiratory conditions, this technology offers both reassurance and a practical way to manage their health.

Jordi Muñoz: Pioneering Drone Innovation

As a young man from Tijuana, Jordi Muñoz began experimenting with electronics in his spare time.

That early experimentation grew into a global business. With co-founder Chris Anderson, he launched 3D Robotics, which became a leader in unmanned aerial vehicles. Later, he founded mRobotics to continue advancing drone technology. His journey highlights how curiosity and hands-on tinkering can lead to innovations that change industries.

Ellen Ochoa: From Machine Vision to Space Exploration

Before becoming the first Latina astronaut, Ellen Ochoa was an engineer working on systems that teach machines to process images accurately. Her patents improved how computers filter visual information, providing the foundation for technologies that power medical imaging, autonomous vehicles, and our smartphone cameras.

Ochoa’s work shows how innovations in one field can ripple across essential parts of everyday technology.

Ángela Ruiz Robles: A Digital Vision Ahead of Its Time

Long before e-readers and digital textbooks became commonplace, Spanish teacher Ángela Ruiz Robles imagined a more portable and accessible way to learn. In 1949, she designed the Enciclopedia Mecánica, a device that allowed students to access multiple lessons in one compact unit.

Although it never reached mass production, her invention paved the way for the digital learning tools we use today. Ruiz Robles is now recognized as a pioneer whose early ideas helped shape the way education embraces technology.

Luis von Ahn: Making the Internet Accessible for All

Guatemalan-born Luis von Ahn has focused on breaking down digital barriers. He first gained recognition for creating CAPTCHA and reCAPTCHA, tools that protect websites from spam while helping to digitize millions of books. Later, he co-founded Duolingo, the world’s most popular language-learning app.

By making education free and accessible, von Ahn has shown how technology can create opportunities across cultures and languages. His work demonstrates how wireless tools can connect people and expand access to knowledge.

Hispanic Innovators Shaping the Future

Hispanic innovators are driving change across healthcare, education, drones, and digital access, showing just how far their impact reaches. Their work is shaping how we connect, learn, and receive care, while also expanding what access and opportunity mean in a wireless world. From a student opening an eBook, to a patient using a health app, to a camera interpreting an image, their contributions are part of everyday life, reminding us that progress often starts with bold ideas.