A conversation with Ed Goffin, Pleora Technologies, at Automate 2026.
Speaking with MVPro during the exhibition, Ed highlighted a clear shift in the priorities of machine vision users. After several years of delayed investment and cautious spending, manufacturers are once again moving projects forward but with a strong focus on reducing complexity while ensuring systems remain flexible for the future.
“The industry went through a few years post-pandemic where projects were slow to start or stalled altogether,” Goffin explains. “That’s changed over the past year and appears to be accelerating.”
Rather than simply investing in the latest technology, manufacturers are looking for solutions that can be deployed quickly, reduce integration costs and continue to evolve as production requirements change.
“They want confidence that the solutions they choose today will scale with future requirements and remain flexible as technologies evolve.”
Compact computing takes centre stage
One of the biggest talking points on the stand was the company’s iPORT GEV-TB GigE Vision-to-Thunderbolt External Frame Grabber.
Designed to connect high-bandwidth GigE Vision cameras directly to modern laptops, embedded computers and compact processing platforms, the product addresses a growing trend across the industry.
“The migration from traditional industrial PCs to smaller form factor computing platforms for vision processing was something we saw throughout the show,” says Goffin. “Designers are looking for ways to reduce system size, cost and complexity while still meeting demanding performance requirements.”
By eliminating the need for an internal frame grabber, the GEV-TB offers system integrators greater flexibility when designing compact vision systems.
Modernising without starting again
Customer conversations revealed two very different application areas, yet both shared remarkably similar objectives.
At one end of the spectrum were developers working with embedded vision systems. Interest was high in integrating MIPI-based sensors and embedded devices into GigE Vision environments, allowing users to benefit from lower-cost processors and sensor modules while retaining the interoperability offered by GigE Vision and GenICam.
Sensor fusion was another recurring topic, with designers increasingly looking to combine data from 1D, 2D and 3D sensors within a common architecture.
Meanwhile, manufacturers responsible for existing production lines were asking a very different set of questions.
Rather than replacing legacy imaging systems, many are looking to extend the life of proven cameras, sensors and infrastructure while introducing modern processing hardware, AI software and networking technologies.
“What was interesting,” says Goffin, “is that despite being very different use cases, both groups are ultimately trying to solve the same problem: modernising vision systems without increasing complexity or risk.”
Robotics captures the imagination
Away from his own stand, Goffin was particularly impressed by the humanoid robotics demonstrations.
“The humanoid robotics area, especially the robot walking a robot dog, really stood out,” he says. “That part of the industry has advanced incredibly quickly.”
He notes that only a few years ago many humanoid demonstrations were relatively basic, whereas today’s systems are performing increasingly sophisticated tasks with impressive speed and autonomy.
The demonstrations also prompted plenty of discussion among exhibitors and visitors alike.
“It sparked some interesting conversations about how quickly humanoid robots will find their way into homes. Whether that’s in five years or fifteen, the pace of progress is hard to ignore.”
The common thread
While the technologies on display ranged from embedded vision platforms to advanced robotics, Goffin believes one theme connected many of the conversations taking place throughout the exhibition.
Whether developing next-generation vision systems or upgrading decades-old installations, manufacturers are searching for practical solutions that simplify integration, protect existing investments and provide a clear path for future expansion.
As machine vision continues to evolve, it is this balance of performance, flexibility and simplicity that is becoming one of the industry’s strongest drivers.
