Imaging and vision systems are becoming more evident in applications that span semiconductor analysis, automotive manufacturing, medical diagnosis, and pharmaceutical inspection. Market opportunities have been growing, and Vision Systems Design has been serving its audience of engineers and system integrators to help create leading-edge applications. As the new editor in chief, I look forward to building our worldwide coverage of these and other application areas and continuing to grow the magazine.
Each individual's background puts a different perspective on new ventures. In managing publications focused on optics and sensors, I have written frequently on how OEM products are used in machine vision and image processing. This background should enhance our ability at Vision Systems Design to serve our readers.
This month in Stuttgart, part of our readership will gather for VISION 2003—the most important international trade fair for machine vision. Both the city and surrounding region are home to some of the key industrial customers for machine-vision components and systems. Messe-Stuttgart, the organizers of VISION 2003, expect more than 200 exhibitors and approximately 4500 attendees to participate in the conference.
The organizers know the value of a good technical conference, related industry events, and an emphasis on solutions. Before the start of the show, the Machine
Vision Beginners' Workshop will introduce newcomers to the topic. Industrial Vision Days, the second main event, will consist of 45 different talks on machine vision, 3-D shape recording, and surface inspection.
Two other events on machine vision will be held concurrently with the show. The VDI/VDE Association for Measuring and Automation Systems will hold a two-day conference entitled "Applied machine vision—from machine vision to seeing systems." And the 23rd Heidelberg Machine Vision Forum sponsored by the universities of Heidelberg and Mannheim will present a one-day session on the latest research results in machine vision related to lighting and photography.
Vision Systems Design is the official partner of Messe-Stuttgart in sponsoring VISION 2003. So if you cannot attend, look for coverage of the important technical and business news of the show in the pages of this magazine. Hope to see you there!
W. Conard Holton
Editor in Chief
[email protected]
