RealSense

An Intel unit that was almost shut down

RealSense started in 2014 as a research initiative at Intel, which wanted to enter the field of 3D cameras, computer vision and face recognition. Intel acquired several companies for this, but according to Calcalist the unit did not find a strong enough commercial role inside a chipmaker. In 2021 Intel announced that it intended to shut it down. In January 2025 it changed that decision and announced that it would spin it out as an independent company, and in July 2025 the separation was completed. Nadav Orbach, who had previously run an Intel division, was appointed CEO.

What a depth camera does for a robot

A regular camera returns a flat image. A depth camera also returns the distance to every point in the image, so a robot can know how far away an obstacle is, how big an object is and how to grasp it. RealSense sells the cameras together with perception software that makes it possible to identify objects, estimate distances and navigate the environment. The products are used in robotic arms, mobile robots, four-legged walking robots and humanoid robots, and the users have included Unitree Robotics and ANYbotics.

About 14 months of independence

With the separation, the company raised $50 million, including from Intel Capital and from MediaTek's investment fund. According to Orbach, at the time of the spin-out sales were about $8 million a quarter. In September 2026 the company said its revenue had tripled, that it had been profitable for the last two quarters, and that it expected revenue of $80 to $90 million in 2026. It reports more than 4,500 customers and 180 employees, 135 of them in Haifa. All of these are company figures.

The acquisition agreement with Cognex

On 22 September 2026 the American company Cognex, a maker of machine vision systems for factories, announced an agreement to acquire RealSense for about $500 million in cash. It also announced a $56.5 million employee retention plan and restricted shares worth about $50 million. Calcalist presented the whole deal as worth about $600 million. It is the largest acquisition in Cognex's history and its first in Israel. According to Orbach, the company had planned to raise another round rather than sell, but Cognex approached it three months earlier, and its offer was improved after the first offer was rejected. Cognex estimates the robotic perception market at about $600 million today and expects it to grow to about $1.6 billion by 2030. Before completion, the face authentication product line will be split off into an independent company.

What is still open

As of the end of September 2026, the deal had not yet been completed. It is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary conditions. According to Calcalist, Intel still holds about 20% of the company and one seat on its five-member board. According to Calcalist, the employees in Haifa will stay, and the Israeli development center will become Cognex's development center.