Intel’s Ayse Ildeniz Courtesy of Intel
Ayse Ildeniz is on a mission to make wearable technology actually, well, wearable.
When Ayse Ildeniz looks at the world, she sees all the ways technology could make it better.
She envisions wearable devices that keep elderly women in close touch with their doctors and families, that track what kids eat or watch on TV while their mom is away at work, that help women in rural India make sure their children arrive safely at school.
“I can think of about 50 different uses for wearables that would be fantastic for women,” she says, “but we haven’t done it yet as an industry. My humble view is that we women have been ignored. It’s my sense that now everybody’s pretty much waking up to that, which is very, very exciting.”
As the vice president of Intel’s INTC New Devices Group and general manager of business and development strategy, Ildeniz—who defines her job as “exploring uncharted territories and trying to create things that don’t exist”—is one of several leaders who are tackling the women-and-wearables challenge wrist-first.
In the last few months, she’s guided Intel’s efforts to release a jewelry communications device (MICA), to develop a wearables chip for fashion designers (Curie), and to forge partnerships with prominent fashion brands. “For me, wearables is a wonderful opportunity to learn about women’s needs,” she says, “and to make sure technology companies are producing things that are defined and designed for women.”
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