Abstract: A system for sensing, processing and analyzing images includes a camera assembly for sensing a workpiece image and generating video signals representing the sensed images. The video signals are fed through a multiplexer to a vision processor and a display. The video signals are preprocessed and stored in the vision processor which has a shared memory. A computer controller, which has access to the shared memory via a common bus, controls operation of the vision processor in response to command signals from peripheral devices. The controller generates data signals for presenting the sensed images on a display and controlling external devices in response to the visual characteristics of the workpiece.