Our Activities & Programs

Machine vision in education, research & science

MVTec's software enables students and researchers to quickly prototype and experiment with machine vision, supporting both teaching and scientific innovation. With a broad range of tools for 3D vision and image processing, it allows for efficient, reproducible results in academic and research projects.

 

 

 

POWERFUL & ADAPTABLE SOFTWARE

Our machine vision software is ideal to learn and experiment

The growing need for skilled vision developers drives universities and research institutions to integrate machine vision and image processing into their curricula. Students who learn modern algorithms, experiment with real data, and explore real-world applications gain the practical skills required to contribute directly to industrial and scientific projects.

Researchers depend on flexible, high-performance software tools that support rapid prototyping, open experimentation, and the implementation of advanced imaging concepts. Whether developing new algorithms, analyzing scientific datasets, or exploring 3D vision, they require a platform that is both powerful and adaptable.

MVTec's machine vision software provides a unified development environment designed for teaching, experimentation, and scientific innovation. With a broad algorithm portfolio – ranging from basic image processing to advanced 3D vision – an open architecture, and fast scripting capabilities, MVTec enables students and researchers to test ideas quickly, iterate efficiently, and build reproducible results. The software supports exploratory learning, deep experimentation, and seamless transition from prototype to deployable solution.

RESEARCH & TEACHING

Benefit from our machine vision expertise

MVTec on Campus

MVTec supports academic teaching and research through the MVTec on Campus program. 

Institutions gain access to
  • Free licenses for teaching and research
  • Ready-to-use example projects and datasets
  • Tutorials, exercises, and educational material
  • A direct link to the MVTec community and industry best practices

This initiative gives students and educators a professional environment for hands-on learning and helps research teams work with industry-grade tools from day one.

Go to MVTec on Campus

Typical Academic & Research Applications

  • Algorithm exploration and prototyping
  • Scientific image analysis (microscopy, segmentation, measurement)
  • 3D data exploration and reconstruction
  • Classification, OCR, and traceability studies
  • Robotics and automation research (2D/3D vision, alignment, calibration)

Research & Teaching

APPLICATIONS IN PRACTICE

Our success stories in education & research

MVTec HALCON product icon
University of Paderborn, Heinz Nixdorf Institute
The Heinz Nixdorf Institute (HNI) joined the MVTec on Campus program in 2022. The University of Paderborn is a renowned research and educational institution specializing in the field of computer science and its applications in the context of digital…
Show full Story
HALCON
Robotics
Education, Research & Science
MVTec HALCON product icon
Advancing machine vision education at Reutlingen University
At Reutlingen University, Professor Arnd Buschhaus has been integrating MVTec HALCON into the teaching curriculum since 2018. HALCON is used extensively in courses related to robotics and machine vision, providing students with practical experience i…
Show full Story
Education, Research & Science
3D Vision
Blob Analysis
Classification
MVTec HALCON product icon
Students and researchers using a robot with machine vision in a university lab to demonstrate the impact of MVTec HALCON on education and research.
Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt
At Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS), Professor Christian Zirkelbach is teaching robotics and machine vision at Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences and Humanities. He has integrated advanced machine vision tools int…
Show full Story
HALCON
Robotics
Education, Research & Science
3D Vision
Deep Learning
MVTec HALCON product icon
Autonomous Formula Student vehicle driving on a test track using machine vision for environment perception.
UPC ecoRacing – The award-winning Formula Student team
An award-winning student team of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) designs, builds, and races autonomous electric vehicles. Numerous different fields, like industrial or aerospace engineering, design, or mathematics contribute to reach on…
Show full Story
HALCON
Education, Research & Science
MVTec HALCON product icon
Robot Lab – Fondazione Brigatti & Camerani Pintaldi
A unique project empowers the next generation to use the MVTec HALCON library for their very first machine vision applications. Mr. Remo Sala, Assistant Professor at the Politecnico di Milano for the Robot Lab – Fondazione Brigatti & Camerani Pintald…
Show full Story
HALCON
Education, Research & Science
MVTec HALCON product icon
Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences
In the course "Optotechnology and Image Processing" (OBV) students get to work with MVTec HALCON in numerous lectures and laboratory exercises. In the following interview Mr. Michael Stelzl, lecturer, and Mr. Frank Friehl, laboratory engineer, of Dar…
Show full Story
HALCON
Education, Research & Science
MVTec HALCON product icon
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Students of the Institute of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing can benefit from 20 Years of HALCON experience. Their professor, Prof. Dr. Markus Ulrich, tells us in an interview how he illustrates the subjects taught in his lectures with the MVTec HA…
Show full Story
HALCON
Education, Research & Science
MVTec HALCON product icon
Support of Intelligent Rooms by Image Processing
In recent years, rooms with intelligence are studied. This kind of rooms is becoming important not only for medical or welfare use, but also at offices or ordinary houses. Obviously, the man-machine interface to communicate human intention is a subst…
Show full Story
HALCON
Education, Research & Science
Classification
Filtering
MVTec HALCON product icon
HERON - Middleware for Image Retrieval Using Graphical Features Extracted by HALCON
The interdisciplinary HERON project aims to find images in digital libraries or large archives without detailed domain knowledge. Initially applied to heraldry, the methods can also be used in medical imaging or trademark collections. HERON uses inno…
Show full Story
HALCON
Education, Research & Science
Classification
Filtering
Matching
MVTec HALCON product icon
Camera test chart with line patterns and a Siemens star used for measuring resolution, contrast, and optical performance.
DCTau: A photographer's tool for testing digital cameras based on HALCON
DCTau by Anders Uschold, Munich, provides a standardized test for evaluating digital cameras with minimal operator input. Designed for both beginners and professionals, it measures resolution, contrast, noise, sharpening, distortion, and brightness l…
Show full Story
HALCON
Education, Research & Science
Measuring
MVTec HALCON product icon
Vision-guided robotic bartender system with dual robot arms serving drinks using machine vision and robotics.
Vision-guided robotic 'bartender' serves drinks - University of Brescia
The University of Brescia developed a vision-guided robotic bartender with two robot arms that identifies, opens and pours different beer bottles – driven by cameras and MVTec Software’s HALCON.
Show full Story
HALCON
Robotics
Education, Research & Science
3D Vision
MVTec HALCON product icon
Humanoid robot Robonaut R2 developed by NASA and GM using machine vision for object recognition and manipulation in space.
Vision-guided Robot Heads for Space – NASA
NASA and General Motors developed the humanoid robot Robonaut 2, the first humanoid robot in space, with support from MVTec HALCON. Equipped with 3D stereo cameras and Time-of-Flight sensors, HALCON enables precise real-time object and gripper detect…
Show full Story
HALCON
Robotics
Education, Research & Science
3D Vision
Matching
MVTec Software