Cognex is acquiring RealSense for roughly $500 million in cash.

RealSense builds 3D depth-sensing cameras with onboard AI processors designed for the factory edge. The devices can run vision models locally instead of sending frames back to a central system.

Projected 2026 revenue is $80–90 million, putting the deal at 5.6–6.3 times revenue. That multiple is the first clean public benchmark for what edge-AI-enabled sensing hardware is worth to a strategic acquirer.

Cognex frames the move as building a full-stack visual intelligence platform — from barcode and 2D inspection through 3D depth and robotic navigation.

For plant buyers, the practical takeaway is pricing transparency. The next time a vendor quotes edge-AI sensing hardware, there is now a disclosed M&A multiple to benchmark against — not just competing list prices.

Full analysis:

#IndustrialIoT #MachineVision #EdgeAI #SmartFactory

Cognex RealSense deal: $500M cash for edge-AI sensing hardware at 5.6–6.3× projected revenue. A public benchmark for buyers.