For Paul Langdon, VP of Software at iDevices, it’s all about sharing knowledge and testing the boundaries of technology.

“I love inspiring people,” said Langdon, who started working at iDevices in 2016.

Langdon was recently recognized as one of Intel's Top Software Innovators of 2018. He's received the honor three straight years. The Intel Software Innovator Program is a “global resource for developers who demonstrate technical expertise, forward-thinking innovation, and a talent for sharing knowledge with their technical community,” the program’s website states. Every quarter, Intel recognizes innovators who engage with the developer community by demoing projects at events, teaching workshops, or speaking at local meet-ups. At the end of each year, program officials review accomplishments and recognize the innovators who have gone “above and beyond.”

The metric for going above and beyond is engaging with at least 1,000 peers over the course of a year. Langdon said he usually interacts “with between 3,000 and 5,000 people per year” between outreach at local meet-ups, writing articles, and presenting at larger events across the country such as SXSW.

Shawn Monteith, iDevices’ chief technology officer, said he is “proud and honored” to work with Langdon.

“We congratulate him on this special and well-deserved award,” Monteith said.

Langdon first got involved with the Intel Software Innovator Program in 2016 just prior to starting his career with iDevices. He would attend hack-a-thons across the country, often hosted by Intel. He was eventually asked by Intel to get more involved in community outreach via the innovator program. One of the early projects he presented though the program was a bird species analyzer that utilized artificial intelligence technology. He's also done research on a smart mirror and a food classification system, both utilizing AI.

“It was just something I was doing for fun,” Langdon said of the research projects. “What it did for me professionally, it started to allow me to figure out how edge computing would work before edge computing was a thing.”

Langdon wasn’t always comfortable talking in front of large groups, but has honed his skills with experience. He enjoys inspiring others through the program, but "at the same time it keeps me current in my field," he added. 

He stays active by hosting two monthly meet-ups in Connecticut, where iDevices has its headquarters.  

“I’ll certainly continue to keep bugging people in the community and make them want to learn about technology,” Langdon said.