FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATICK, MA, USA April 21, 2011

Cognex Receives Large Order for Dataman 500 Barcode Readers

NATICK, MA—April 21, 2011—Cognex Corporation (NASDAQ: CGNX) announced today that it has received an order from Kiva Systems for 140 of its new DataMan® 500 barcode readers. Kiva, a leading provider of warehouse automation systems, will integrate these image-based barcode readers into a sophisticated, automated order fulfillment system being designed for a large medical device manufacturer.

The DataMan 500 systems will read barcodes on product packaging to ensure that the right items are shipped to the right destination, and to collect data for instant inventory management. Kiva selected the DataMan 500 readers because they can read barcodes both more accurately and more quickly than traditional laser-based barcode readers, even when the codes are highly degraded due to poor printing or handling.

“The DataMan 500 offered a significant productivity advantage for this project,” said Dr. Robert J. Shillman, Chairman of Cognex. “In this particular application, each package being scanned can have as many as seven different barcodes on it. The DataMan 500 will read all of those barcodes in a single view versus laser scanners which would require the operator to pass the package in front of a laser scanner multiple times…once for each code that is present. The result is a big boost in throughput and handling efficiency with DataMan.”

The DataMan 500 is an advanced barcode reader that combines the high performance of image-based readers with the ease-of-use and low cost of laser scanners. The DataMan 500 offers consistent, reliable reading of 1-D barcodes that lasers cannot read, such as codes that are damaged, distorted, blurred, scratched, low height and low contrast, and codes presented in random orientation. And, unlike traditional laser-based systems, the DataMan 500 can also read the newer 2-D codes, such as Data Matrix and QR codes, and can simultaneously read multiple codes that are in the same image. With no moving parts to wear out, the DataMan 500 also offers exceptional reliability, lower maintenance, and longer product life.

For more information about the advanced capabilities of the DataMan 500 image-based barcode reader, visit www.cognex.com/DataMan500.

About Kiva Systems Kiva Systems, Inc. uses game-changing automation technology for distribution centers that helps companies simplify operations and reduce costs while increasing strategic flexibility. Using hundreds of autonomous mobile robots and sophisticated control software, the Kiva Mobile-Robotic Fulfillment System enables extremely fast cycle times with reduced labor requirements, from receiving to picking to shipping--all without a conveyor. The result is a distribution facility that is quick to set up, has low construction cost, is inexpensive to operate and is readily modified anywhere in the world.

About Cognex Corporation

Cognex Corporation (“the Company” or “Cognex”) invents and commercializes technologies that address some of the most critical manufacturing and distribution challenges. We are a leading global provider of machine vision products and solutions that improve efficiency and quality in high-growth-potential businesses across attractive industrial end markets. Our solutions blend physical products and software to capture and analyze visual information, allowing for the automation of manufacturing and distribution tasks for customers worldwide. Machine vision products are used to automate the manufacturing or distribution and tracking of discrete items, such as mobile phones, electric vehicle batteries and e-commerce packages, by locating, identifying, inspecting, and measuring them. Machine vision is important for applications in which human vision is inadequate to meet requirements for size, accuracy, or speed, or in instances where substantial cost savings or quality improvements are maintained.

Cognex is the world's leader in the machine vision industry, having shipped more than 4 million image-based products, representing over $10 billion in cumulative revenue, since the company's founding in 1981. Headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts, USA, Cognex has offices and distributors located throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. For details, visit cognex.com.

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