VDMA Machine Vision, as a concept sponsor, confirmed the positive sentiment within the industry during the opening of the trade fair. Consequently, the order book for the imaging industry is full, and demand for components and systems remains consistently high. Looking ahead to 2020, the European imaging sector's revenue declined by 4% compared to 2019. For 2021, VDMA Machine Vision (a division of the VDMA robotics and automation industry association) expects the European imaging sector's revenue to rebound by 7%. According to Mark Williamson, Chairman of the Board of Directors of VDMA Machine Vision, this outlook was evident during VISION 2021. However, the sales trend is being impacted by the persistent global chip shortage: "From camera manufacturers to system integrators, virtually every company is experiencing chip shortages. While this isn't causing a market downturn, it is hindering growth prospects," Williamson stated. However, VDMA Machine Vision expects further growth of 7% next year.
The ability to meet in person again was greatly appreciated in both halls of the trade fair. A quick survey conducted by the European Machine Vision Association (EMVA) on the eve of the event confirmed the importance of trade fairs for businesses. According to the survey, 60% of participants stated that, without the possibility of face-to-face meetings, they were only partially able to achieve their new customer acquisition goals in the past 12 months. For these business contacts, the trade fair once again provided a platform where participants (95%) felt safe at all times thanks to the hygiene protocols.
For Prophesee, participation in VISION proved invaluable. On the second day of the trade fair, the company was among the four nominees for the prestigious VISION Award. Prophesee's event-based sensor technology draws inspiration from the human retina. Combined with AI-based processing, it captures scenes faster and more efficiently than conventional sensors. For co-founder and CEO Luca Verre, winning the 2021 VISION Award is a true honor: "We want to bring something new to an industry that has been working with conventional image-based machine vision technology for many years. The 2021 VISION Award is a great source of satisfaction for us and recognition of the hard work we have put into developing our new technology." The company exemplifies the trend at VISION of showcasing innovative technological approaches emerging in fields such as mobile communications, medicine, and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Fifteen startups also presented their products during the daily Start-up Pitch Sessions at the fair. On the final day, a high-level jury selected GrAI Matter Labs for its energy-efficient Life-Ready AI chip as a “VISION Start-up 2021.” The company is optimistic and believes this will help strengthen AI chip production in Europe.
The generally positive mood is encouraging companies for the next edition of VISION. “VISION is and remains the leading trade fair for imaging technology for us. We are really looking forward to next year to once again present the highlights of our innovations,” says Christian Vollrath. 72% of visitors currently plan to return for VISION 2022. From October 4 to 6, 2022, running alongside the specialist trade fair Motek, VISION will once again be held every two years. In the meantime, the presentations from VISION Days are available on demand via the VISION website.
