100G CoaXPress over Fiber Takes Center Stage at VISION 2026
VISION 2026 proved to be a highly successful show for us, with a busy booth throughout the event and plenty of opportunities to talk with visitors about the challenges shaping the next generation of machine vision systems.
At the center of our booth this year was high-speed image acquisition, and one demonstration in particular generated plenty of discussion: our FireBird 100G CoaXPress over Fiber (CoF) frame grabber demonstration.
Seeing 100G CoaXPress over Fiber in Action
High-performance vision systems are continually increasing the demands placed on image acquisition hardware. Higher-resolution cameras and increasing data rates mean that moving large quantities of imaging data efficiently from the camera into the host system is an important part of system design.
At VISION, we demonstrated our 1xCOF100G-4PE8 CoaXPress over Fiber frame grabber connected to a Vieworks 100G CoF camera. The board uses a QSFP28 connector and four lanes of CXP-31 fiber connectivity.
The live demonstration showed the system moving data at up to 12,500 MB per second, providing visitors with the opportunity to see 100G technology working rather than simply discussing its potential. This sparked detailed conversations about what high-speed image acquisition means for their own applications.
Why CoaXPress over Fiber?
CoaXPress over Fiber extends CoaXPress capability using fiber optic connectivity, making it relevant to high-bandwidth applications where factors such as cable distance or the electrical environment are important considerations.
For system designers, however, the interface is only one part of the conversation. The discussions we had at VISION covered the wider architecture surrounding image acquisition, including required bandwidth, cable distance, topology, transceivers, camera ecosystem and where the acquired data ultimately needs to go.
These are important considerations because choosing an image acquisition architecture is rarely about achieving the highest headline data rate. It’s about determining how the camera, interface, frame grabber, host platform and processing requirements work together as a complete imaging system.
From Interface to Complete Imaging Architecture
Our CoaXPress over Fiber demonstration formed part of a broader display of our imaging expertise at VISION. Alongside it, we showcased our FireBird frame grabbers, Harrier AF-Zoom cameras, new Harrier Global Shutter AF-Zoom cameras, camera interface boards and embedded vision technology.
Together, these technologies reflect an important part of Active Silicon’s approach. We have supported OEMs and imaging professionals for nearly 40 years with imaging products, embedded systems and custom vision solutions.
That experience means our conversations around CoaXPress over Fiber extend beyond the frame grabber itself. Understanding the camera interface, aggregate bandwidth, I/O, PCIe host, triggering and synchronization requirements, operating system and software environment are all relevant when specifying an acquisition solution.
Were you at VISION?
We’d like to thank everyone who visited the Active Silicon booth in Stuttgart. The stand was busy with visitors throughout the show, giving our team the opportunity to demonstrate the technology in action and talk directly with engineers and imaging professionals about their applications, performance requirements and integration challenges.
For us, that’s what makes VISION such a valuable event: bringing technology and engineering conversations together.
If you didn’t get the opportunity to see our 100G CoaXPress over Fiber demonstration at VISION, or you would like to discuss how CoaXPress over Fiber could boost your imaging system, get in touch with the team to discuss your application.
