Welcome
Hi and welcome to the first issue of 2026.
This issue of MVPro captures a moment where machine vision and photonics feel less like emerging technologies and more like maturing ecosystems finding their rhythm.
Across Photonics West, conversations no longer centred on proving what is possible, but on what is dependable, scalable, and ready for real deployment. From optics manufacturers urging earlier design discipline, to camera vendors discussing data integrity over headline specifications, to sensor makers rethinking architectures in the age of abundant compute, a clear theme emerged: the bottleneck in machine vision has moved upstream. Success now depends on how well entire systems are conceived, integrated, and maintained over time.
That same sense of maturity appears in very different contexts throughout this issue. A ride in a Waymo autonomous taxi demonstrates how quietly confident machine vision becomes when perception, prediction, and decision making are fully aligned. Vexlum’s work in shrinking high performance lasers shows how enabling technologies are removing practical barriers for quantum systems moving beyond the lab. Leadership changes across major industry players signal a return to clarity of purpose as growth resumes after a period of contraction. Meanwhile, startups continue to push boundaries with synthetic data, edge AI, and new business models that challenge traditional integration approaches.
Individually, these stories cover optics, sensors, software, autonomy, quantum, and strategy. Together, they paint a picture of an industry that is not chasing novelty, but building confidence. Machine vision is becoming something that organisations can rely on day in and day out, not as an experiment, but as essential infrastructure.
Exciting times lie ahead.
Best wishes
Tom
