We kick off the year with an interview featuring David Dechow, a renowned expert in machine vision and industrial automation. David shares insights on his decades-long career, the importance of fundamentals in machine vision, and the value of mentorship and continuous learning. His thoughts on emerging trends in 3D imaging and the proper application of AI provide a compelling start to 2026 for both new and seasoned professionals.

* David Dechow on LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/daviddechow/ * "Best Practices for Implementing Vision Guided Robotics" | bit.ly/4aUFxI8 * A3 Certified Vision Professional Program | bit.ly/4qe6VWh * Motion AI | ai.motion.com/

We end the inaugural year of The MV Pro Podcast with a peek behind the curtain of MV Pro Media. This interview with CEO and Editor-in-Chief, Tom Tiner, discusses the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly international market, significant trends that caught the attention of the team in 2025, and big goals for 2026.

* Tom Tiner on LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/thomas-tiner/ * MV Pro Media | mvpromedia.com

Petra Schumacher of SICK AG talks about her early career in machine vision and her passion for empowering other women to explore engineering. We discuss key influences and experiences that helped her turn an interest into a exciting, multi-disciplinary career. Sponsored by AIRON.

* Petra Schumacher on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/petra-schumacher/ * SICK AG | sick.com * AIRON | aoi-airon.com

Charlie Long, Zebra's new head of machine vision and factory automation, walks us through recent innovations and strategic investments behind its new portfolio of tools making machine vision more accessible, reliable, and efficient. * Charlie Long | linkedin.com/in/charlie-long-57236023 * Zebra | zebra.com

Stephen Mott of Components Express Inc. by 2Connect discusses the crucial role of cables in machine vision projects and shares insights from his 29-year career. He highlights the company's focus on validation and customization to meet the rigorous demands of industries like automotive, logistics, semiconductor, and medical devices. The episode also touches on CEI/2Connect's global reach and future plans. Sponsored by MVTec.

* Stephen Mott | linkedin.com/in/stephen-mott-0b94a16 * CEI | componentsexpress.com * 2Connect | 2-connect.com * MVTec | mvtec.com/mvpro

A chat with Ed Goffin from Pleora about its 25-year history in real-time video applications. Ed shares his perspective on the state of the market and forthcoming innovations including the GigE Vision 3.0 standard and RoCE v2.

* Ed Goffin | linkedin.com/in/edgoffin/ * Pleora | pleora.com

We talk with a Texan SI partnership bringing cutting edge AI/ML-based vision to manufacturing automation. Davide Pascucci of Bright IA and Eric Smith of Ether Advanced Technology talk about the role of AI in enhancing traditional defect detection as well as its limitations, how to spot a phony, and the need for incremental approaches and collaboration in problem-solving.

* Aether Advanced Technology | aetheradvancedtechnology.com * Bright IA | brightiatx.com * Automation Stars of Texas | linkedin.com/showcase/asotshow/about

Eric Cheng, co-founder and CEO of Intrinsics Imaging discusses his journey from developing critical vision systems for the US Navy to building advanced AI inspection systems in the cloud. We discuss the benefits of Intrinsics' approach and the comparison to traditional computer vision.

* Intrinsics Imaging | www.intrinsicsimaging.com