ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS INC
S-1/A, 1999-06-17
INDUSTRIAL INSTRUMENTS FOR MEASUREMENT, DISPLAY, AND CONTROL
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<PAGE>   1


     AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JUNE 17, 1999


                                                      REGISTRATION NO. 333-76927

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                           -------------------------


                                AMENDMENT NO. 1


                                       TO


                                    FORM S-1
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                           -------------------------

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)

<TABLE>
<S>                                      <C>                                      <C>
                DELAWARE                                   3823                                  11-2400145
      (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION             (PRIMARY STANDARD INDUSTRIAL                   (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
   OF INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)           CLASSIFICATION CODE NUMBER)                  IDENTIFICATION NO.)
</TABLE>

                                 5 SHAWMUT ROAD
                          CANTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02021
                                 (781) 821-0830
              (ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER,
       INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF REGISTRANT'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES)
                           -------------------------
                                  PAT V. COSTA
                CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                                 5 SHAWMUT ROAD
                          CANTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02021
                                 (781) 821-0830
           (NAME, ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, AND TELEPHONE NUMBER,
                   INCLUDING AREA CODE, OF AGENT FOR SERVICE)
                           -------------------------
                  COPIES OF ALL COMMUNICATIONS AND NOTICES TO:

                              IRA I. ROXLAND, ESQ.
                COOPERMAN LEVITT WINIKOFF LESTER & NEWMAN, P.C.
                                800 THIRD AVENUE
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10022
                              TEL: (212) 688-7000
                              FAX: (212) 972-9487
                           -------------------------
    APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC:  As soon as
practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

    If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, check the following box.  [X]

    If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering.  [ ]

    If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities
Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration
statement for the same offering.  [ ]

    If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering.  [ ]

    If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box.  [ ]
                           -------------------------

                   CALCULATION OF ADDITIONAL REGISTRATION FEE


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF               AMOUNT TO         PROPOSED MAXIMUM OFFERING       PROPOSED MAXIMUM
   SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED           BE REGISTERED           PRICE PER UNIT(1)      AGGREGATE OFFERING PRICE(1)
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                 <C>                      <C>                        <C>
Common stock, $.01 par value......      25,000 shs.(2)                $2.50                    $62,500.00
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common stock, $.01 par value,
  issuable upon the exercise of
  incentive common stock purchase
  warrants........................     25,000 shs.(2)(3)              $2.50                    $62,500.00
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Total....................
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<CAPTION>
- ----------------------------------  -----------------------
- ----------------------------------  -----------------------
      TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF               AMOUNT OF
   SECURITIES TO BE REGISTERED        REGISTRATION FEE(1)
- ----------------------------------  -----------------------
<S>                                 <C>
Common stock, $.01 par value......          $17.38
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common stock, $.01 par value,
  issuable upon the exercise of
  incentive common stock purchase
  warrants........................          $17.38
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Total....................          $34.76
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>



(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee based
    upon the average of the high and low price of the Company's common stock,
    $.01 par value, on the Nasdaq National Market on June 8, 1999.



(2) Pursuant to Rule 416, the number of shares to be registered hereunder is
    subject to adjustment to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock
    dividends and similar transactions.

                           -------------------------
    THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL
FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(a) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION,
ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(a), MAY DETERMINE.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>   2

THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS IS NOT COMPLETE AND MAY BE
CHANGED. THE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FILED
WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION IS EFFECTIVE. THIS PRELIMINARY
PROSPECTUS IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL NOR DOES IT SEEK AN OFFER TO BUY THESE
SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE THE SALE IS NOT PERMITTED.

                             SUBJECT TO COMPLETION


                   PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS DATED JUNE 17, 1999


PROSPECTUS

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.


                       11,709,583 shares of Common Stock



     The shares covered by this prospectus represent in excess of 35% of our
currently outstanding shares of common stock. The selling stockholders named on
page   of this prospectus may offer all of these shares for sale. We will
receive none of the proceeds from any of these sales.




                           -------------------------


     We design, manufacture and sell 3-dimensional machine vision-based products
and systems which, among other applications, automate the quality inspection of
semiconductors and semiconductor packages, read two-dimensional bar codes on
virtually any surface and scan and record bar code labels on packages moving at
high speeds.



     Our common stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol
ROBV. The closing price of our common stock on June 9, 1999 was $2 1/2 per
share.


                           -------------------------


     PLEASE READ THE RISK FACTORS BEGINNING ON PAGE 4 OF THIS PROSPECTUS BEFORE
MAKING A DECISION TO INVEST IN OUR SECURITIES.


                           -------------------------

     Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities
commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this
prospectus is truthful or complete. It is illegal for any person to tell you
otherwise.

                           -------------------------


                                 June   , 1999

<PAGE>   3


                               TABLE OF CONTENTS



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                  PAGE
                                  ----
<S>                               <C>
Summary.........................    2
Risk Factors....................    4
Market Information..............    7
Dividend Policy.................    7
Selected Consolidated Financial
  Data..........................    8
Management's Discussion and
  Analysis of Financial
  Condition and Results of
  Operations....................    9
Business........................   19
</TABLE>



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                  PAGE
                                  ----
<S>                               <C>
Management......................   24
Principal Stockholders..........   31
Description of Our Securities...   33
Selling Stockholders............   36
Legal Matters...................   37
Experts.........................   37
Available Information...........   38
Index to Consolidated Financial
  Statements....................  F-1
</TABLE>


                                        1
<PAGE>   4


                                    SUMMARY


     The following summary highlights selected information from this prospectus
and may not contain all the information that is important to you. To understand
our business and this offering fully, you should read this entire prospectus
carefully, including the Risk Factors and the consolidated financial statements
and accompanying notes.

OUR BUSINESS

     We design, manufacture and sell products and systems that do the following:

     - automate the inspection of semiconductors and semiconductor packages

     - provide machine-vision-based scrutiny of a broad range of commercial and
       industrial products where high volume quality assurance can best be
       accomplished by computer-based inspection

     - read two-dimensional bar codes of any size or complexity on virtually any
       surface

     - accurately scan and record bar code labels on packages moving at high
       speeds

     - provide specialty lighting for machine vision applications

Collectively, these capabilities give computers the power of sight.

     Our products range from state-of-the-art machine vision systems on a
circuit board, which are priced at under $10,000, to $500,000 wafer inspection
systems with fully automated output capabilities. Certain of our products are
sold by our own sales force; other products are sold either through
manufacturers' representatives or to original equipment manufacturers for
incorporation into customized systems.

     We operate our business through our semiconductor equipment group
principally located in Hauppauge, New York, with additional facilities in
Arizona and Wisconsin, and through our Acuity CiMatrix division located in
Canton, Massachusetts.

OUR HISTORY

     We were incorporated in New York in 1976 and reincorporated in Delaware in
1977. Our executive offices are located at 5 Shawmut Road, Canton, Massachusetts
02021; our telephone number is (781) 821-0830.

THE OFFERING


<TABLE>
<S>                                                          <C>
Common stock offered for sale by the selling
  stockholders.............................................  11,709,583 shares(1)
Common stock to be outstanding after offering..............  37,948,718 shares(2)
</TABLE>


- -------------------------

(1) Represents the maximum number of shares covered by this prospectus. See
    Description of our Securities and Selling Stockholders.


(2) This number assumes the exercise of all of the prepaid warrants and the
    incentive warrants. This number excludes 3,583,971 shares of our common
    stock issuable as of March 31, 1999 upon exercise of then outstanding
    options and warrants. An additional 1,698,520 shares are reserved for future
    grants under our stock option plans.

                                        2
<PAGE>   5

USE OF PROCEEDS


     We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of the common stock offered
by the selling stockholders or from the exercise of the prepaid warrants. We
will receive the proceeds from the exercise of the incentive warrants, which
will amount to $5,013,832 if all of the incentive warrants are exercised. We
intend to apply any net proceeds for working capital and other general corporate
purposes.


SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

     You should read the following summary consolidated financial data in
conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and the unaudited
consolidated financial statements, and their accompanying notes, which are
contained elsewhere in this prospectus. You should also read Selected
Consolidated Financial Data and Management's Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Results of Operations, which are both contained
elsewhere in this prospectus.

                         STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                               SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                 FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,                  MARCH 31,
                       ----------------------------------------------------   ------------------
                         1994       1995       1996       1997       1998       1998      1999
                       --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   -------
<S>                    <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Revenues.............  $102,056   $145,415   $153,975   $169,342   $169,007   $101,515   $56,699
Income (loss) before
  income taxes.......  $  2,853   $ 12,092   $   (319)  $  1,393   $(40,505)  $ (2,021)  $(6,384)
Provision (benefit)
  for income taxes...  $      1   $    (56)  $ (1,154)  $    745   $     --   $    108   $    --
Net income (loss)....  $  2,852   $ 12,148   $    835   $    648   $(40,505)  $ (2,129)  $(6,384)
Basic net income
  (loss) per share...  $   0.16   $   0.65   $   0.04   $   0.03   $  (1.65)  $  (0.09)  $ (0.26)
Diluted net income
  (loss) per share...  $   0.15   $   0.58   $   0.04   $   0.03   $  (1.65)  $  (0.09)  $ (0.26)
</TABLE>


                          SELECTED BALANCE SHEET DATA:
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          AT SEPTEMBER 30,
                         --------------------------------------------------   AT MARCH 31,
                          1994      1995       1996       1997       1998         1999
                         -------   -------   --------   --------   --------   ------------
<S>                      <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Total assets...........  $50,410   $83,520   $107,471   $139,923   $121,571     $115,159
Current assets.........  $40,867   $71,755   $ 88,370   $110,541   $ 72,227     $ 68,221
Long term debt and
  other................  $ 2,341   $ 1,242   $    492   $  6,414   $  3,059     $  2,945
Total liabilities......  $33,459   $39,171   $ 43,858   $ 64,346   $ 84,774     $ 75,048
Stockholders equity....  $16,951   $44,349   $ 63,613   $ 75,577   $ 36,797     $ 31,468
Working capital
  (deficit)............  $10,853   $34,590   $ 45,751   $ 55,159   $ (9,488)    $ (3,882)
</TABLE>


                                        3
<PAGE>   6


                                  RISK FACTORS


     Before you invest in our common stock, you should be aware that there are
various risks, including those described below. You should carefully consider
these risk factors together with all other information included in this
prospectus, before you decide whether to purchase shares of our common stock.


OUR RETURN TO PROFITABLE OPERATIONS CANNOT BE ASSURED



     We incurred net operating losses of $6,384,000 and $40,505,000 for the six
month fiscal period ended March 31, 1999 and the fiscal year ended September 30,
1998, respectively. Our working capital deficit at these dates was $3,882,000
and $9,488,000, respectively.



CURRENT REDUCED DEMAND FOR SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTS MAY REDUCE OUR NEAR TERM
REVENUES AND EARNINGS


     The semiconductor industry has historically experienced significant market
fluctuations and periodic downturns. The demand for semiconductor capital
equipment, including our lead inspection systems, is presently quite low
compared to 1997 and early 1998 levels. Reduced demand adversely affects our
revenues and earnings. Until semiconductor industry conditions improve, our
revenues and earnings will continue to be adversely affected.


WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCURATELY ANTICIPATE OUR QUARTERLY OPERATING RESULTS


     We have experienced, and in the future may be expected to continue to
experience, substantial variations in our quarterly results of operations as a
result of a number of factors, many of which are outside of our control. In
particular, our operating results may vary because of downturns in the
semiconductor industry, changes in economic conditions, or technology changes
affecting our principal products. Any of these factors could cause our operating
results to fluctuate significantly from quarter to quarter.

WE MUST REPAY OR REPLACE OUR BANKS BY MARCH 18, 2000


     We owed approximately $35.4 million to our banks as of March 31, 1999. This
indebtedness is secured by substantially all of our assets. We have not been in
compliance with certain of the financial covenants contained in our agreement
with our banks for much of the past 15 months. This has required us to
periodically request waivers of these covenants. While our financing agreement
has recently been amended to conform its financial covenants to reflect our
current operating plans and we are currently in compliance with its provisions,
we cannot be certain that we will remain in compliance for the balance of its
term. We must either repay our total bank indebtedness prior to March 18, 2000,
negotiate an extension of our bank credit facility or obtain replacement
financing. We cannot assure investors that we will be able to do so.


OUR SALES ARE CONCENTRATED


     Our sales have been historically concentrated in a small number of
customers. The specific customers change over time. Sales to Intel accounted for
approximately 6%, 20% and 23%, respectively, of our revenues during the six
months ended March 31, 1999 and the fiscal years ended September 30, 1998 and
1997. No other customers accounted for more than 10% of sales during such fiscal
periods. The loss or any significant reduction in Intel's orders for our
products may materially adversely affect our operations and prospects.


                                        4
<PAGE>   7

INTERNATIONAL SALES REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR REVENUES


     International sales, primarily to Asia and Western Europe, accounted for
approximately 49% and 64% of our revenues for the six months ended March 31,
1999 and the fiscal year ended September 30, 1998, respectively. In particular,
sales to Taiwan, Korea and other Asian countries accounted for 36% and 54% of
our revenues for the six months ended March 31, 1999 and the fiscal year ended
September 30, 1998, respectively. While our sales in Asia are generally
denominated in U.S. dollars, our international business may be affected by
changes in demand resulting from fluctuations in currency exchange rates, trade
restrictions and duties, and other political and economic factors. The recent
Asian economic crisis led to significant order cancellations from customers in
Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia and the Phillipines as devaluations of as much as 90% in
their respective local currencies prevented these customers from acquiring U.S.
dollars at favorable exchange rates to pay us for these orders, thereby
adversely affecting both our revenue levels and profitability.



WE RECENTLY REDUCED THE CARRYING VALUE OF OUR INVENTORY BY APPROXIMATELY $16.5
MILLION AND FURTHER REDUCTIONS MAY BE REQUIRED IN THE FUTURE.



     The cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry, which historically has
resulted in unexpected and precipitous reductions in the demand for
semiconductor capital equipment products as well as technological obsolescence
of certain of our product offerings, has required us from time to time to reduce
the carrying value of our inventories, most recently by approximately $16.5
million for our fiscal year ended September 30, 1998. Such inventory write-downs
adversely affected our financial condition and results of operations and any
future write-downs, if material in nature, could have similar effect.



PREPAID WARRANT EXERCISES MAY CAUSE SUBSTANTIAL DILUTION



     The number of shares of common stock that we are required to issue upon
exercise of our prepaid warrants is determined by taking the lower of $4.02 or
95% of the average of the bid price of our common stock during a minimum 20-day
trading period prior to exercise. Accordingly, if the market price of our common
stock should be significantly below $4.02 at the time of exercise, the number of
shares of common stock issuable upon the prepaid warrants' exercise could be
significant. By way of illustration, at a market price of $4.02 per share, the
holders of the prepaid warrants, collectively, could acquire an aggregate of
2,736,319 shares of our common stock, or approximately a 9.9% equity interest in
RVSI based upon our currently outstanding shares of Common Stock. If, however,
the market price of our Common Stock was $2.50, $2.00 or $1.50 per share, the
number of shares issuable to the holders of the prepaid warrants upon exercise
would aggregate 4,400,000, 5,500,000 or 7,333,334, respectively, representing
equity interests in RVSI of 15.0%, 18.1% or 22.8%, respectively. On June 9,
1999, the closing price of our Common Stock, as reported by NASDAQ, was $2 1/2
per share. There is no limitation upon the number of shares issuable upon
exercise of the prepaid warrants.



THE LARGE NUMBER OF SHARES ISSUABLE UPON EXERCISE OF WARRANTS COULD ADVERSELY
AFFECT THE PRICE OF OUR COMMON STOCK AS WELL AS RESULT IN A CHANGE IN OUR
CONTROL



     A substantial number of shares of our common stock are issuable upon
exercise of both the prepaid warrants and the incentive warrants. These shares
are covered by this prospectus. Future sales of these shares, or the
anticipation of such sales, could adversely affect the market price of our
common stock and could materially impair our future ability


                                        5
<PAGE>   8


to raise capital through an offering of equity securities. Further, any issuance
of a substantial number of our shares upon exercise of prepaid warrants could
result in a change in our control if the exercising warrant holders were to
retain rather than sell their respective shares.



MAINTAINING OUR COMPETITIVE POSITION WILL REQUIRE OUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT



     The markets for our products are extremely competitive. Maintaining our
competitive position will require our continued investment in research and
product development. Our ability to make such investment may be limited by our
cash flow availability and by our need to comply with covenants in our banking
arrangements that may limit our research and product development expenditures.


OUR SUCCESS IS DEPENDENT ON OUR KEY PERSONNEL WHO WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RETAIN
AND WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HIRE ENOUGH ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL TO MEET OUR NEEDS

     Our success depends in large part upon our ability to hire and retain
qualified technical and management personnel. We have a limited number of
employment agreements with our technical and management personnel. Hiring
replacement or additional employees with the combination of skills and
attributes required to carry out our needs is extremely competitive. Our
inability to hire and retain such personnel could materially adversely effect
our growth and profitability.


SYSTEM FAILURES OR MISCALCULATIONS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE YEAR 2000 ISSUE COULD
ADVERSELY AFFECT OUR OPERATIONS



     The Year 2000 issue is the result of computer programs only being able to
use two digits rather than four to define the applicable year. Thus,
date-sensitive software may recognize a date using "00" as the year 1900 rather
than the year 2000. System failure or miscalculation, whether in our internal
operating systems or our products or those of our third party vendors or
suppliers, could result in our inability to process transactions, send invoices,
accept customer orders or timely provide customers with products and services.


FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     This prospectus contains certain forward-looking statements and information
relating to our business. We have identified forward-looking statements in this
prospectus using words such as "believes," "intends," "expects," "predicts,"
"may," "will," "should," "contemplates," "anticipates," or similar statements.
These statements are based on our beliefs as well as assumptions we made using
information currently available to us. Because these statements reflect our
current views concerning future events, these statements involve certain risks,
uncertainties and assumptions. Actual future results may differ significantly
from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements.

                                        6
<PAGE>   9


                               MARKET INFORMATION


     Our common stock is quoted on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol
ROBV. The following table sets forth the high and low closing prices for our
common stock for the periods indicated:


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FISCAL QUARTER ENDED                                HIGH    LOW
- --------------------                                ----    ---
<S>                                                 <C>     <C>
June 30 (through June 9)..........................  $ 3 3/32 $ 2 1/32
March 31, 1999....................................    3 15/16   2 5/16
December 31, 1998.................................    4 1/2   2 1/8
September 30, 1998................................    4 7/8   2
June 30, 1998.....................................   12 3/4   3 1/2
March 31, 1998....................................   14 3/8  10
December 31, 1997.................................   17 1/2  10 1/4
September 30, 1997................................   16 7/8  11 3/4
June 30, 1997.....................................   11 7/8   8 3/8
March 31, 1997....................................   18 1/4  10 3/4
December 31, 1996.................................   15 3/8  10
</TABLE>



                                DIVIDEND POLICY


     We have never paid any cash dividends and intend, for the foreseeable
future, to retain any future earnings for the development of our business. Our
bank credit agreement restricts our ability to pay dividends. Our future
dividend policy will be determined by our board of directors on the basis of
various factors, including our results of operations and financial condition.

                                        7
<PAGE>   10


                      SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA



     The following selected consolidated financial data below should be read in
conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and the accompanying
notes and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations, both elsewhere in this prospectus. The data as of
September 30, 1998 and 1997 and for each of the three years in the period ended
September 30, 1998 have been derived from, and should be read in conjunction
with, our audited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes,
which are contained elsewhere in this prospectus. The data as of September 30,
1996, 1995 and 1994 and for each of the two years in the period ended September
30, 1995 have been derived from our audited financial statements which are not
contained in this prospectus. The data as of March 31, 1999 and for the six
months ended March 31, 1999 and 1998 have been derived from our unaudited
consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes, which are contained
elsewhere in this prospectus. We believe that the unaudited consolidated
financial statements include all adjustments, consisting only of normal
recurring adjustments, that we consider necessary for a fair presentation of the
financial information contained in such financial statements. Our results of
operations for the six months ended March 31, 1999 are not necessarily
indicative of our results of operations for the entire year.


                         STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS DATA:
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                     SIX
                                                                                 MONTHS ENDED
                                 FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30,                  MARCH 31,
                       ----------------------------------------------------   ------------------
                         1994       1995       1996       1997       1998       1998      1999
                       --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   --------   -------
<S>                    <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Revenues.............  $102,056   $145,415   $153,975   $169,342   $169,007   $101,515   $56,699
Income (loss) before
  income taxes.......  $  2,853   $ 12,092   $   (319)  $  1,393   $(40,505)  $ (2,021)  $(6,384)
Provision (benefit)
  for income taxes...  $      1   $    (56)  $ (1,154)  $    745   $     --   $    108   $    --
Net income (loss)....  $  2,852   $ 12,148   $    835   $    648   $(40,505)  $ (2,129)  $(6,384))
Basic net income
  (loss) per share...  $   0.16   $   0.65   $   0.04   $   0.03   $  (1.65)  $  (0.09)  $ (0.26)
Diluted net income
  (loss) per share...  $   0.15   $   0.58   $   0.04   $   0.03   $  (1.65)  $  (0.09)  $ (0.26)
</TABLE>


                          SELECTED BALANCE SHEET DATA:
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            AT SEPTEMBER 30,
                           --------------------------------------------------    AT MARCH 31,
                            1994      1995       1996       1997       1998          1999
                           -------   -------   --------   --------   --------   ---------------
<S>                        <C>       <C>       <C>        <C>        <C>        <C>
Total assets.............  $50,410   $83,520   $107,471   $139,923   $121,571      $115,159
Current assets...........  $40,867   $71,755   $ 88,370   $110,541   $ 72,227      $ 68,221
Long term debt and
  other..................  $ 2,341   $ 1,242   $    492   $  6,414   $  3,059      $  2,945
Total liabilities........  $33,459   $39,171   $ 43,858   $ 64,346   $ 84,774      $ 75,048
Stockholders' equity.....  $16,951   $44,349   $ 63,613   $ 75,577   $ 36,797      $ 31,468
Working capital
  (deficit)..............  $10,853   $34,590   $ 45,751   $ 55,159   $ (9,488)     $ (3,882)
</TABLE>


                                        8
<PAGE>   11


               MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL


                      CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS


RESULTS OF OPERATIONS


SIX MONTHS ENDED MARCH 31, 1998 AND 1999



     Revenues were $27.3 million in the three months ended March 31, 1999
compared to $47.7 million in the three months ended March 31, 1998, a decline of
43%. The lower revenues year-to-year largely reflect the effect of the severe
semiconductor industry downturn which began in early calendar 1998. In the three
months ended March 31, 1999, revenues for our Semiconductor Equipment Group were
approximately half the level of the year earlier period. Revenues for our Acuity
CiMatrix division for 1-D and 2-D barcode reading and machine vision products
were also down 16% from the year earlier period. The year-to-year decline in
revenues for our Acuity CiMatrix division was almost entirely a result of lower
revenues from European customers. In the three months ended March 31, 1999,
revenues for our Semiconductor Equipment Group represented 61% of total
revenues, compared to 73% of total revenues in the three months ended March 31,
1998.



     For the six months ended March 31, 1999, revenues were $56.7 million
compared to $101.5 million in the six months ended March 31, 1998, a decline of
44%. Revenues for our Semiconductor Equipment Group were down 55% and revenues
for our Acuity CiMatrix division were down 13% from the year earlier periods.



     On a sequential basis, revenues of $27.3 million in the three months ended
March 31, 1999 were $2.1 million lower than revenues of $29.4 million in the
three months ended December 31, 1998. A significant level of orders were
received at the end of March that we were unable to ship against until April,
due to a combination of the timing of the orders received and lack of all the
necessary inventory required to satisfy the customer order.



     The gross profit margin was 43.5% of revenues in the three months ended
March 31, 1999 compared to 44.1% of revenues in the three months ended March 31,
1998. The gross profit margin, as a percentage of revenues, for our
Semiconductor Equipment Group was approximately the same, while the gross profit
margin, as a percentage of revenues for our Acuity CiMatrix division was down
slightly year-to-year.



     For the six months ended March 31, 1999, the gross profit margin was 43.1%
of revenues compared to 46.4% of revenues in the six months ended March 31,
1998. The lower gross margin largely reflects proportionately higher fixed
manufacturing and support costs on the substantially lower level of revenues.



     Beginning at the end of the second quarter of the fiscal 1998, we took a
number of actions to reduce our costs including a reduction in our workforce of
approximately 350 employees and consolidation of our Acuity and CiMatrix
operations. As a result of such actions, quarterly costs were reduced by
approximately $6.0 million by the beginning of fiscal 1999. These actions
resulted in a total of $6.6 million in severance and other charges


                                        9
<PAGE>   12


in fiscal 1998. The following is a summary of the activity related to the
amounts of the charges that remained accrued in our financial statements at
September 30, 1998:



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                LIABILITY                         LIABILITY
                                            ------------------                  --------------
                                            SEPTEMBER 30, 1998   EXPENDITURES   MARCH 31, 1999
                                            ------------------   ------------   --------------
<S>                                         <C>                  <C>            <C>
Severance payments to employees...........        $1,384            $1,240           $144
Costs for changes in Asia distributors....           500               100            400
Costs to consolidate Acuity/CiMatrix......           215                66            149
    Total.................................        $2,099            $1,406           $693
</TABLE>



     We expect the remaining liability to be settled by the end of fiscal 1999.



     Research and development expenses were $4.9 million, or 17.9% of revenues,
in the three months ended March 31, 1999, compared to $7.4 million, or 15.5% of
revenues, in the three months ended March 31, 1998. The lower level of expenses
reflects the combination of workforce reductions and other expense reductions
that we implemented over the past twelve months. We are continuing to invest
significant resources into new product development in both our Semiconductor
Equipment Group and our Acuity CiMatrix division. New product development
efforts include expansion of our new machine vision platform, Visionscape,
on-going development on the recently announce MXi hand-held imager for reading
digital 2-D barcodes, as well as next generation semiconductor inspection and
component handling equipment. In the three months ended March 31, 1999, we
capitalized $1.2 million in software development costs under Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 86, compared to $2.1 million in the three
months ended March 31, 1998.



     Research and development expenses were $10.5 million, or 18.4% of revenues,
in the six months ended March 31, 1999 compared to $14.0 million, or 13.8% of
revenues, in the three months ended March 31, 1998. Capitalized software
development costs in the six months ended March 31, 1999 were $2.7 million
compared to $3.8 million in the six months ended March 31, 1998.



     Selling, general and administrative expenses were $10.7 million, or 39.0%
of revenues, in the three months ended March 31, 1999, compared to $15.7
million, or 32.8% of revenues, in the three months ended March 31, 1998. The
lower level of expenses largely reflects the combination of the cost reduction
steps taken by us over the past twelve months, together with lower variable
selling costs on the lower level of revenues. In addition, the absence of
significant litigation costs in the three months ended March 31, 1999, compared
to the year earlier period, contributed to the decline in our expenses.



     Selling, general and administrative expenses were $21.9 million, or 38.6%
of revenues, in the six months ended March 31, 1999 compared to $30.6 million,
or 30.1% of revenues, in the six months ended March 31, 1998. The year-to-year
reduction in expenses reflects our cost reduction steps taken over the past
twelve months, lower variable selling costs on lower revenues and the absence of
significant litigation costs which were incurred in the six months ended March
31, 1998.



     The combination of research and development and selling, general and
administrative expenses were $15.5 million in the three months ended March 31,
1999, compared to $16.9 million in the three months ended December 31, 1998, a
reduction of $1.3 million in expenses sequentially. The lower level of expenses
were achieved through a combination of


                                       10
<PAGE>   13


limited workforce reductions, forced vacation and continued curtailment of
discretionary spending.



     Net interest expense was $0.7 million in the three months ended March 31,
1999, compared to $0.5 million in the three months ended March 31, 1998. The
increase in interest expense primarily reflects the higher level of bank
borrowings in the three months ended March 31, 1999.



     We recorded an additional gain of $0.3 million on the sale of our Aircraft
Safety division during the three months ended March 31, 1999, as a result of a
contingency relating to employee retention being resolved. The total gain on the
sale in the six months ended March 31, 1999 was $3.0 million.



     There was no tax provision in the three months ended March 31, 1999 or
March 31, 1998 due to the loss for the periods.



     We reported a net loss of $4.2 million, or $(0.17) per share, for the three
months ended March 31, 1999, compared to a net loss of $5.7 million, or $(0.23)
per share, for the three months ended March 31, 1998. The net for the three
months ended March 31, 1999 included a gain of $0.3 million relating to the sale
of the Aircraft Safety Division. In the three months ended March 31, 1998, the
net loss of $5.7 million included non-recurring charges of $3.2 million.



FISCAL YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1998 AND 1997


     Our revenues were $169.0 million for the fiscal year ended September 30,
1998, compared to $169.3 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1997.
Primarily as a result of a severe downturn in the semiconductor capital
equipment industry, our revenues declined from $53.8 million in the first
quarter of fiscal 1998 to a low of $28.4 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal
1998. Our semiconductor equipment group's operations were adversely affected by
a significant decline in orders, and cancellations of previously placed orders,
for semiconductor inspection and handling equipment. The weak semiconductor
industry conditions were largely a result of the Asian economic crisis and
excess industry capacity. In addition, revenues for our Acuity CiMatrix division
declined approximately 10% year-to-year, largely as a result of lower revenues
to customers in Asia and Europe.


     Our gross profit margin, as a percentage of revenues, was 33.1% for the
fiscal year ended September 30, 1998, compared to a gross profit margin of 44.6%
of revenues for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1997. Our gross profit
margin for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1998 was reduced by a provision
for excess and obsolete inventories of $16.6 million, or 9.8% of revenues.
Exclusive of the inventory provisions in fiscal 1998 and 1999 gross profit
margin was 42.9% for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1998 and 45.4% for the
fiscal year ended September 30, 1997. The gross profit margin declined
sequentially in fiscal 1998 as result of proportionately high fixed
manufacturing costs relative to lower shipment levels, as well as the affect of
a lower margin product mix.



     In the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 1998, we took provisions of $4.5
million and $12.1 million, respectively, for excess and obsolete inventories
primarily for our semiconductor inspection and handling equipment. These
provisions largely reflected reduced demand for older generation products as a
result of the severe semiconductor industry downturn. We believe that the
inventory provisions taken in fiscal 1998 have reduced the carrying value of
inventories to their appropriate net realizable value. However, there can be no
assurance that we will not have to take additional inventory


                                       11
<PAGE>   14


provisions in the future based upon a number of factors including changing
business conditions, shortened product life cycles, the introduction of new
products, and the effect of new technologies.


     During fiscal 1998, we took multiple steps to reduce our expenses and to
lower the level of revenues necessary for break-even results of operations.
These steps included a 10% workforce reduction in April 1998, a 15% workforce
reduction in June 1998 and an additional 16% workforce reduction in September
1998, as well as curtailing discretionary spending and capital expenditures. In
June 1998, we combined our Acuity 2-D machine vision operations with our
CiMatrix 1-D and 2-D barcode reading and data collection operations.


     Primarily as a result of these steps, we took a total of $6.6 million in
charges in fiscal 1998. $3.8 million was recorded for severance payments to
approximately 350 terminated employees, all of whom were terminated prior to
September 30, 1998. The terminated employees represented all functions across
all of our operating divisions. Of the $3.8 million, approximately $2.4 million
was paid in cash to employees prior to September, 30, 1998. $1.5 million was
recorded for costs associated with changing distributors in Asia. The charge was
recorded in the quarter ended March 31, 1998. Of this charge, $1.0 million
represents the write-off of our investment in our bankrupt Korean distributor.
We terminated our business relationship with the distributor after it could no
longer meet its commitment to service our existing installed base of customers
in Korea nor meet our sales goals. The remaining charge represents termination
of the distributor of our product in Japan. The terms of an agreement to end our
business relationship with the Japanese distributor were reached at the end of
our second fiscal quarter. Under this agreement, we were to repurchase from the
distributor certain demonstration equipment used in selling our product and
settle outstanding commitments of the distributor. The approximately $0.5
million charge represents our liability under the agreement, net of the
realizable value of assets recovered from the Japanese distributor.



     The charges also included a $1.1 million non-cash write-down of previously
capitalized software development costs associated with currently inactive
products and $0.2 million in costs associated with the consolidation of the
Acuity and CiMatrix operations. As a result of these measures, our research and
development expenses and selling, general and administrative expenses, combined,
were reduced from $23.0 million in the second quarter to $19.3 million in the
fourth quarter of fiscal 1998.


     Our research and development expenses were $28.1 million, or 16.6% of
revenues, in fiscal 1998, compared to $25.5 million, or 15.0% of revenues, in
fiscal 1997. The higher level of research and development expenses reflected our
continued investment in new products, including new semiconductor inspection and
component handling systems, as well as new visual inspection and data collection
products. During fiscal 1998, we capitalized $7.4 million of its software
development costs, in accordance with SFAS No. 86, compared to $4.8 million in
fiscal 1997.

     Our selling, general and administrative expenses were $58.9 million, or
34.8% of revenues, in fiscal 1998, compared to $48.3 million, or 28.5% of
revenues, in fiscal 1997. The year-to-year increase in expenses is largely
related to personnel additions to our sales and marketing organizations,
primarily in the first half of fiscal 1998. In addition, legal costs associated
with patent infringement and fraud litigation which we initiated against General
Scanning, now known as GSI Lumonics, and its View Engineering subsidiary were
$4.5 million in fiscal 1998.

                                       12
<PAGE>   15

     We incurred merger costs of $0.6 million in the first quarter of fiscal
1998 related to our acquisition of Vanguard Automation.

     Net interest expense was $2.3 million in fiscal 1998 compared to $0.3
million in fiscal 1997. The increase in interest expense is a result of the
significantly higher level of bank borrowings in fiscal 1998. Proceeds from bank
borrowings during fiscal 1998 were primarily used to fund working capital
requirements and results of operations.

     There was no tax provision in fiscal 1998 as a result of the loss for the
period. In fiscal 1997, we had a tax provision of $0.7 million relating to
minimum federal and state income taxes.


     For fiscal 1998, we had a net loss of $40.5 million, or a loss of $1.65 per
share. The net loss for fiscal 1998 included inventory provisions of $16.6
million and unusual charges of $6.6 million. In fiscal 1997, we had net income
of $0.6 million, or $0.03 per share.


FISCAL YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1997 AND 1996

     Our revenues of $169.3 million for the year ended September 30, 1997
represent an increase of $15.4 million or 10.0%, over revenues of $154.0 million
for the year ended September 30, 1996. The increase in revenues was primarily
attributable to increased shipments of our LS-3000 Series and GS-5000 Series
semiconductor lead inspection systems.

     The gross profit margin for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1997 was
46%, as compared to 45% for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1996.

     Continued development of our LS-3000 and GS-5000 series of lead scanning
systems, computerized visual inspection equipment, and barcode scanning and data
collection equipment, as well as the ID-1 aircraft wing ice detection system,
primarily accounted for $25.5 million in research and development expense, net
of capitalized software development costs, during the year ended September 30,
1997, as compared to $21.8 million during fiscal 1996. In our fiscal year ended
September 30, 1997, we capitalized $4.8 million of software development costs as
compared to $2.6 million over the comparable 1996 period in accordance with the
provisions of SFAS No. 86. Capitalized software development costs for the fiscal
year ended September 30, 1997 include $0.8 million of costs related to certain
acquired subsidiaries. These subsidiaries had not capitalized any software
development costs in prior years because prior to their respective acquisitions
by us, they had not utilized detailed program designs in the software
development process. In general, the software development costs incurred by
these subsidiaries between the time working models were available and the
related software projects were released to customers were not material.

     Our selling, general and administrative costs of $48.3 million increased by
$3.4 million or 7.6%, for the year ended September 30, 1997 as compared to $44.9
million in the prior fiscal year, primarily as a result of increased marketing
and distribution costs. For the year ended September 30, 1997, our net interest
expense was $0.3 million compared to net interest income of $0.2 million in the
comparable period in 1996. The decrease is a result of using a significant
portion of our cash to finance growing accounts receivable and inventory as our
revenue increased.

                                       13
<PAGE>   16

     Our net income for the year ended September 30, 1997 was $0.6 million or
$0.03 per share, as compared to net income of $0.8 million, or $0.04, for the
year ended September 30, 1996.

     During the fiscal year ended September 30, 1997, we recorded a net
provision for income taxes of $0.7 million. The current year provision primarily
relates to minimum federal and state income taxes which were partially offset by
a decrease in the valuation allowance relating to deferred tax assets which
emanated from a change in the legal structure of certain subsidiaries which
eliminated certain limitations on our utilization of net operating losses of
acquired subsidiaries. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 1996, we
recorded a net benefit from income taxes of $1.2 million. This benefit primarily
resulted from a decrease in the valuation allowance relating to deferred tax
assets which emanated from our profitable operations in fiscal 1996, and the
extent to which we substantiated projected future earnings.

     Our net deferred tax assets at September 30, 1997 and 1996 of $8.8 million
and $8.1 million, respectively, are equivalent to the benefit to be derived from
net operating loss carryforwards, and net deductible temporary differences that
were expected to be utilized to offset future taxable income projected as of the
respective balance sheet dates. The valuation allowance as of September 30, 1997
relates primarily to net operating loss carryforwards and tax credit
carryforwards of Acuity and CiMatrix which are subject to annual limitations.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES


     Our cash balance increased $0.4 million, to $2.8 million, in the six months
ended March 31, 1999, as a result of $10.8 million of net cash used in operating
activities, $0.6 million of net cash used for additions to plant and equipment,
$4.3 million of net cash provided by the sale of a product line and $7.5 million
of net cash provided by financing activities.



     The $10.8 million of net cash used in operating activities was largely a
result of the operating loss for the six month period, after non-cash
depreciation and amortization charges, combined with the reduction in accounts
payable and accrued expenses. Accounts receivable increased $0.2 million in the
six months ended March 31, 1999. Inventories declined $4.3 million in the six
months ended March 31, 1999, primarily as a result of further inventory
reductions in our Semiconductor Equipment Group.


     Our cash balance declined from $8.8 million at September 30, 1997 to $2.4
million at September 30, 1998, as a result of $18.7 million of net cash used in
operating activities, $9.1 million of net cash used for additions to plant and
equipment and $21.5 million of net cash provided by financing activities. The
$18.7 million of net cash used in operating activities was primarily a result of
the loss for the year, less non-cash depreciation and amortization charges.


     Additions to plant and equipment were $0.6 million in the six months ended
March 31, 1999, which were substantially below depreciation charges of $3.6
million in the period. During fiscal 1998, we had net additions to plant and
equipment of $9.1 million, which exceeded depreciation charges of $6.1 million.
The additions to plant and equipment were primarily for equipment used in
research and development activities, as well as customer support activities.
Total depreciation and amortization charges for the six months ended March 31,
1999 were $5.3 million compared to $3.6 million in the same period in


                                       14
<PAGE>   17


fiscal 1998 due to higher levels of fixed assets, capitalized software and other
intangibles during fiscal 1999 compared to the first half of fiscal 1998.



     Accounts payable were $18.7 million at March 31, 1999, as compared with
$21.4 million at September 30, 1998 and $23.3 million at September 30, 1997,
respectively. The reduction in accounts payable in fiscal 1998 was a result of
the significantly lower level of inventory purchases made by us in the second
half of fiscal 1998. As a result of our negative cash flow from operations
during fiscal 1998 and the six months ended March 31, 1999, we had a substantial
portion of our accounts payable balances which were beyond normal vendor payment
terms at March 31, 1999.



     We have a revolving credit agreement with three domestic banks which is
collateralized by substantially all of our domestic tangible and intangible
assets. Borrowings under the agreement currently bear interest at the prime
rate, plus two percent. At March 31, 1999, we had borrowings of $35.4 million
outstanding, which reflect the maximum commitment under the agreement. The
agreement contains certain financial covenants, including minimum levels of
profitability, liquidity and net worth, with which we have not been in
compliance. Borrowings under the agreement at March 31, 1999 and September 30,
1998 have been classified as current. On April 22, 1999, the Company
renegotiated the terms of its credit agreement with its three banks. The new
agreement sets the facility at $35.4 million, waives compliance with certain
financial covenants through March 31, 1999, and establishes new covenants with
reduced targets for profitability, liquidity and net worth for the balance of
the term of the agreement, March 18, 2000. In conjunction with the amendment to
the credit agreement, the Company issued warrants to its lending banks totaling
750,000 shares, at an exercise price of $4.02 per share, of which 250,000 shares
are immediately exercisable. All, or a portion, of the remaining 500,000 shares
are only exercisable if the lending banks extend the credit agreement beyond the
original maturity date for a pre-determined period.



     Accounts receivable at March 31, 1999 increased by $0.24 million from $32.4
million at September 30, 1998 to $32.6 million. By way of comparison, our
accounts receivable at September 30, 1997 were $50.6 million. This reduction in
accounts receivable largely reflects our lower level of revenues in the fourth
quarter of fiscal 1998, as well as the first half of fiscal 1999.



     Inventories were $31.5 million at March 31, 1999, compared to $36.2 million
at September 30, 1998, a reduction of $4.7 million, as we continued to consume
short-term excess levels, particularly in our semiconductor equipment group.
Inventories in fiscal 1998 were reduced $2.9 million, which included a total of
$16.6 million in inventory provisions. Excluding the inventory provisions, the
increase in inventories in fiscal 1998 was largely a result of revenues
declining significantly below expectations, beginning late in the second
quarter, which resulted in higher than planned ending inventory levels. We
minimized our level of inventory purchases in the second half of fiscal 1998,
which reduced inventories $3.6 million, excluding the inventory provisions.


     The increase in other long-term assets of $8.4 million largely reflects an
increase in capitalized software development costs during fiscal 1998, net of
amortization, of $4.6 million, and an intangible asset of $3.75 million
reflecting the technology license and non-competition agreement obtained as a
result of our settlement agreement with General Scanning, Incorporated,
discussed below. We have classified our net deferred tax asset as a long-term
asset as a result of the loss for fiscal 1998 and the current uncertainty of
realizing this tax benefit in the near-term.

                                       15
<PAGE>   18

     In June 1998, we and GSI executed a settlement agreement of our claims
against GSI, which we had asserted in an action initiated by us in the United
States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, arising out of GSI's
acquisition of View Engineering in August 1996, in which we claimed that GSI had
used information improperly obtained from us in connection with the acquisition.
GSI denied all such claims. Under the settlement agreement, GSI has agreed not
to compete for ten years in the inspection of interconnect leads of
semiconductor packages. Under the settlement, GSI licensed its 2-D and 3-D
vision technology solely to us exclusively for our use in the inspection of
semiconductor interconnection leads. In consideration for the technology license
and non-competition agreement, we agreed to pay GSI $3.75 million, of which
$1.50 million represents 271,493 shares of our common stock and the balance of
$2.25 million is evidenced by a subordinated note payable with a maturity date
of five years.


     Accrued expenses decreased from $21.1 million at September 30, 1998 to
$17.5 million at March 31, 1999 primarily as a result of cash payments of $1.2
million for severance and other charges recorded in fiscal 1998. Included in
accrued expenses at March 31, 1999 are $0.7 million of expected future cash
outlays associated with the severance and other charges of $6.6 million in
fiscal 1998.



     In February 1999, we completed a private placement of $11.0 million in
stated value of prepaid warrants from which we derived net proceeds of
approximately $10.0 million.



     In April 1999, we completed a private placement of 1,309,850 shares of our
common stock to a single corporate investor, from which we derived net proceeds
of approximately $2.9 million.



     We believe that through a combination of proceeds from the financings
completed in February and April 1999, obtaining additional external capital and
existing receivables and inventories and either the renegotiation of our bank
credit facility or its replacement with alternative bank financing, we will have
sufficient liquidity to fund our cash requirements for at least the next 12
months.


RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS


     In June 1997, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued SFAS
No. 130, "Reporting Comprehensive Income", and SFAS No. 131, "Disclosure about
Segments of an Enterprise and Related Information", both of which will be
effective for RVSI in fiscal year 1999. SFAS No. 130 establishes standards for
the reporting and display of comprehensive income and its components (revenues,
expenses, gains and losses) in a full set of general purpose financial
statements. SFAS No. 131 establishes standards for the way that public business
enterprises report selected information about operating segments. SFAS No. 131
also establishes standards for related disclosures about products and services,
geographic areas, and major customers. The adoption of SFAS No. 130 in fiscal
1999 resulted in additional disclosure for RVSI in our consolidated financial
statements for the three months ended December 31, 1998. The adoption of SFAS
No. 131 in fiscal 1999 will require additional disclosures in our consolidated
financial statements for the year ending September 30, 1999.



     In February 1998, the FASB issued SFAS No. 132, "Employers' Disclosures
about Pensions and Other Post-retirement Benefits", which RVSI is required to
implement no later than fiscal year 1999. SFAS No. 132 is an amendment to SFAS
Nos. 87, 88 and 106. The statement standardizes disclosure requirements for
pension and post-retirement benefits to the extent practicable, requires
additional information on changes in the benefit obligations and fair values of
plan assets that will facilitate financial analysis and eliminates


                                       16
<PAGE>   19

certain other disclosures. The implementation of SFAS No. 132 is not expected to
have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.


     In April 1998, the Accounting Standards Executive Committee issued
Statement of Position ("SOP") 98-5, "Reporting on the Costs of Start-Up
Activities", which RVSI is required to implement no later than fiscal year 2000.
SOP 98-5 establishes standards that require start-up and organization costs to
be expensed as incurred. The implementation of SOP 98-5 is not expected to have
a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.



     In June 1998, the FASB issued SFAS No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative
Instruments and Hedging Activities", and is effective for RVSI in the first
quarter of fiscal year 2000. SFAS No. 133 establishes accounting and reporting
standards for derivative instruments, including derivative instruments embedded
in other contracts, and for hedging activities. We believe the adoption of SFAS
No. 133 will not have a material effect on our consolidated financial
statements.


EFFECT OF INFLATION


     We believe that the effect of inflation has not been material during each
of the years ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996, respectively.


YEAR 2000 STATUS


     We are aware of the potential for business disruption due to the Year 2000
issue, and have taken steps to assess and address these issues. We are
addressing Y2K compliance in three major areas: internal operating systems,
including sales, purchasing, production, engineering, and finance; products,
including installed base and new products; and third parties, vendors. Based on
current internal audits, management believes that it has established a Y2K plan
which will address these issues.



     In order to assess Y2K compliance in our internal operating systems, we
first took an inventory of all such systems and identified those which are
critical to our operations. All such systems have been or will be tested for Y2K
compliance by April 1999. Based on the results of testing to date, it is
estimated that about 75% of these systems are Y2K compliant. All non-compliant
systems will be brought into compliance by July 1999, either by upgrades or
replacement.



     With the exception of one minor product which we purchase from a third
party and resell, all of our products currently being shipped, as well as a
large part of our installed base, are Y2K compliant. We expect that this
non-compliant product will be brought into compliance by June 1999. Customers of
that part of our older installed base which is not Y2K compliant will be offered
upgrade options, or replacements, which are Y2K compliant.



     The area of Y2K compliance which poses the greatest risk to us is our
vendors, because of our lack of control over their products and operations. In
order to assess their compliance, we are in the process of surveying all major
vendors. We expect this process to be completed by June 1999, and any compliance
issues to be addressed by September 1999.



     Costs associated with our Y2K compliance program are not anticipated to be
substantially different than normal, recurring costs, and are not expected to
materially affect financial results.



     While we believe that our Y2K compliance program is on plan for assessing
and addressing any Y2K issues, full compliance can not be assured until this
effort is complete. In particular, despite our best efforts, we may be unable to
establish with certainty the


                                       17
<PAGE>   20


compliance of third party vendors, including those outside the United States. It
is possible that the non-compliance of a key vendor could interrupt our
production schedules and adversely impact our ability to make timely deliveries
of our products.


     As this program progresses, we will be better able to assess our Y2K status
in all of the areas outlined above, and focus our efforts on any Y2K issues
which become identified. By June 1999, we will also develop contingency plans to
be put into place in the event that any of our corrective actions fail to fully
address the Y2K issues.

MARKET RISK

     Financial instruments that potentially subject us to concentrations of
credit-risk consist principally of cash equivalents and trade receivables. We
place our cash equivalents with high-quality financial institutions, limit the
amount of credit exposure to any one institution and have established investment
guidelines relative to diversification and maturities designed to maintain
safety and liquidity. Our trade receivables result primarily from sales to
semiconductors manufacturers located in North America, Japan, the Pacific Rim
and Europe. Receivables are mostly from major corporations, distributors or are
supported by letters of credit. We maintains reserves for potential credit
losses and such losses have been immaterial.


     We are exposed to the impact of fluctuation in interest rates, primarily
through our borrowing activities. Our policy has been to use U.S. dollar
denominated borrowings to fund our working capital requirements. The interest
rates on our current borrowings fluctuate with current market rates. The extent
of risk associated with an increase in the interest rate on our borrowings is
not quantifiable or predictable because of the variability of future interest
rates and our future financing requirements. At March 31, 1999, we had bank
borrowings outstanding of $35.4 million and a long-term note payable of $2.25
million which have a variable interest rate. Using a yield to maturity analysis
and assuming an increase in the interest rate on these borrowings of 78 basis
points (10% fluctuation in the rate), interest rate variability on these
borrowings would not have a material effect on our financial results.


     We are also exposed to the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. During
fiscal 1998, most local currencies of our international subsidiaries weakened
against the U.S. dollar. Since we translate foreign currencies into U.S. dollars
for reporting purposes, these weakened currencies have a negative, though
immaterial, impact on our results. We also believe that our exposure to currency
exchange fluctuation risk is insignificant because our international
subsidiaries sell to customers, and satisfy their financial obligations, almost
exclusively in their local currencies. During fiscal 1998, we did not engage in
foreign currency hedging activities. Based on a hypothetical ten percent adverse
movement in foreign currency exchange rates, the potential losses in future
earnings, fair value of risk-sensitive instruments, and cash flows are
immaterial, although the actual effects may differ materially from the
hypothetical analysis.

     We estimate the fair value of our notes payable and long-term liabilities
based on quoted market prices for the same or similar issues or on current rates
offered to us for debt of the same remaining maturities. For all other balance
sheet financial instruments, the carrying amount approximates fair value.

                                       18
<PAGE>   21


                                    BUSINESS


GENERAL


     We design, manufacture, market and sell automated 1-dimensional,
2-dimensional and 3-dimensional machine vision-based products and systems for
inspection, measurement and identification.



     The diversity of our product lines has grown substantially in the past
several years, primarily as a result of acquisitions. Our acquisition history is
summarized below.



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
  NAME OF ACQUIRED COMPANY       DATE OF ACQUISITION               PRODUCTS
  ------------------------       -------------------               --------
<S>                              <C>                    <C>
Acuity Imaging, Inc.             September 20, 1995     2-D vision systems for diverse
                                                        markets
International Data Matrix,       October 23, 1995       Data matrix symbology code
  Incorporated                                          readers
NorthEast Robotics, Inc.         May 3, 1996            Illumination products for
                                                        machine vision systems
Computer Identics Corporation    August 30, 1996        Standard barcode products,
                                                        data collection networks and
                                                        systems for data collection
                                                        and material handling markets
Systemation Engineered           October 1, 1996        Tape-and-reel, and tube and
  Products, Inc.                                        tray based component
                                                        processing systems for
                                                        semiconductor and electronics
                                                        industries
Vanguard Automation, Inc.        December 18, 1997      Ball grid array and chip scale
                                                        packaging equipment for
                                                        semiconductor and connector
                                                        industries
</TABLE>


PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT


SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT GROUP


     Our Semiconductor Equipment Group is comprised of our Electronics division,
as well as our wholly owned subsidiaries, Systemation Engineered Products and
Vanguard Automation, Inc.

     The Electronics division supplies inspection equipment to the semiconductor
industry. The division's LS, GS and CS Series lead scanning systems offer
automated, high-speed, 3-D semiconductor package lead inspection with the added
feature of non-contact scanning of the packages in their shipping trays
("in-tray scanning"). The systems use a laser-based, non-contact, 3-D
measurement technique to inspect and sort quad flat packs, thin quad flat packs,
chip scale packages ("CSP"), ball grid arrays ("BGA") and thin small outline
packs in their carrying trays. The system measurements include coplanarity,
total package height, true position spread and span, as well as lead angle,
width, pitch and gap.

     Systemation offers tape-and-reel component processing systems designed to
handle and inspect CSP and BGA packages. We believe that Systemation's expertise
in designing

                                       19
<PAGE>   22

and manufacturing systems that handle components in tubes provides us with the
means to further expand the breadth of our product offerings to the
semiconductor market. Systemation is also the primary supplier of tape-and-reel
systems to the electronics division.


     Vanguard is a supplier of BGA and CSP equipment for the semiconductor and
connection industries. Customers for Vanguard's proprietary BGA and CSP
equipment include over a dozen of the top semiconductor manufacturers in the
world.


ACUITY CIMATRIX DIVISION

     In June 1998, we combined our Acuity Imaging division, which was comprised
of Acuity Imaging and Northeast Robotics, Acuity's wholly owned subsidiary, with
our CiMatrix division, which was comprised of Computer Identics and
International Data Matrix, both our wholly owned subsidiaries. The combined
operations is called the Acuity CiMatrix division.

     The Acuity CiMatrix division designs, manufactures and markets 1-D and 2-D
data collection products and barcode reading systems, as well as 2-D machine
vision systems and lighting products for use in industrial automation. These
products are used by a broad range of businesses, including customers in the
semiconductor, electronics, automotive, pharmaceutical, consumer products,
postal services and material handling industries. The Acuity CiMatrix division
also supplies certain machine vision products to our Semiconductor Equipment
Group. In addition, we own the patent to the data matrix code, a 2-D code
resembling a scrambled checkerboard. Due to its small size relative to the 1-D
bar code label, the data matrix code can be directly marked on parts and
components greatly enhancing a manufacturer's capability for serialization and
traceability.

     Machine vision systems use an image processing computer, software and
electronic cameras to perform such functions as measurement, flaw detection and
inspection of manufactured products. Our data collection and bar code reading
systems use similar functionality to read and collect data from 1-D and 2-D bar
codes for purposes such as sortation, manufacturing quality control,
traceability and security.

     In September 1998, Acuity CiMatrix introduced Visionscape, the first
machine vision product platform on a single PCI board for the Pentium/Windows
PC. This product family is designed to meet the needs of both original equipment
manufacturers, which incorporate vision products into their systems, as well as
for direct use by manufacturers on their factory floor.


     In December 1998, Acuity CiMatrix introduced the MXi, the first hand-held
imager for reading digital direct part marks, 1-D barcodes and new, digital 2-D
symbologies, such as the Data Matrix code. This product is a result of a joint
development and marketing arrangement with Polaroid which began in 1997. The
MXi, whose technology is jointly owned by Polaroid and us, was co-designed and
will be manufactured by Polaroid for our exclusive distribution.


MANUFACTURING

     Each of our production facilities are capable of fabricating and assembling
total electronic and electromechanical systems and subsystems. Facilities
include assembly and wiring operations that have the ability to produce complex
wiring harnesses, as well as

                                       20
<PAGE>   23

intricate electronic subassemblies. We maintain comprehensive test and
inspection programs to ensure that all systems meet exacting customer
requirements for performance and quality workmanship prior to delivery.

MARKETING AND SALES

     Our Semiconductor Equipment Group's marketing strategy focuses on
cultivating long-term relationships with the leading manufacturers of electronic
and semiconductor inspection and quality control equipment. Its marketing
efforts rely heavily on direct sales methods. The selling cycle for products,
generally, is between six to nine months from initial customer contact to
closure. A lengthier process is often the case in the purchase of an initial
unit. Subsequent purchases require less time and often result in multiple
orders. Group sales activities in the domestic market are handled by direct
sales personnel. The group also maintains sales capabilities in both Europe and
the Far East through independent sales representatives and distributors,
providing access to all major markets for electronic and semiconductor test
equipment. Sales and technical support offices are maintained in Singapore and
Taiwan.

     The Acuity CiMatrix division markets its products through a combination of
direct sales personnel, distributors and system integrators. For sales made
through distributors, the Acuity CiMatrix Division supports these activities
with direct sales management and technical support personnel. Besides sales and
support offices in various locations in the United States, the Acuity CiMatrix
Division also maintains sales and support offices in the United Kingdom, France
and Germany.

SOURCES OF SUPPLY

     To support our internal operations and to extend our overall capacity, we
purchases a wide variety of components, assemblies and services from proven
outside manufacturers, distributors and service organizations. We have not
experienced any significant difficulty in obtaining adequate supplies to perform
under our contracts.

     A number of our components and sub-systems are purchased from single
sources. We believe that alternative sources of supply could be obtained, if
necessary, without major interruption in production. In addition, certain
products or sub-systems developed and marketed by the Acuity CiMatrix division
are incorporated into the Semiconductor Equipment Group's product offerings.

PROPRIETARY PROTECTION

     At March 31, 1999, we owned over 100 issued U.S. patents, with expiration
dates ranging from 1999 to 2014. We also have various U.S. and foreign
registered trademarks.

     We do not believe that our present operations are materially dependent upon
the proprietary protection that may be available to us by reason of any one or
more of such patents. Moreover, as its patent position has not been tested, with
the exception of the litigation referred to elsewhere in this prospectus, we can
give no assurance as to the effectiveness of the protection afforded by patent
rights.

CUSTOMERS


     Intel Corporation accounted for 6%, 20%, 23% and 13% of our revenues during
our six months ended March 31, 1999 and our fiscal years ended September 30,
1998, 1997 and 1996, respectively. No other customer accounted for more than 10%
of sales during the


                                       21
<PAGE>   24

fiscal years ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996, respectively. No customer
accounted for more than 10% of sales during the three month fiscal period ended
December 31, 1998.


     Revenues from unaffiliated customers generated by our European subsidiaries
were $5,199,000, $14,556,000, $16,812,000 and $16,226,000 for the six months
ended March 31, 1999 and the years ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996,
respectively.



     Total revenues from customers outside the U.S. were $27,501,000,
$108,711,000, $115,854,000 and $97,483,000 for the six months ended March 31,
1999 and the years ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996, respectively.


BACKLOG


     At March 31, 1999 our backlog was $22.9 million as compared to $16.9
million and $43.2 million at September 30, 1998 and September 30, 1997,
respectively. We believe that most of our backlog at March 31, 1999 will be
delivered in the next 12 months. The change in our backlog in these periods is a
reflection of short term business levels and customer lead times. We do not
believe that our backlog at any particular time is necessarily indicative of our
long-term future business.


COMPETITION


     We believe that machine vision has evolved into a new industry over the
past several years, in which a number of machine vision-based firms have
developed successful industrial applications for the technology. We are aware
that a large number of companies, estimated to be upward of 100 firms, entered
the industry in the 1980's and that most of these were small private concerns.
Over the last several years the number of competitors has narrowed to less than
25. We believe this is attributable, to a large extent, to consolidation within
the industry. Our principal competitor is Accusort in 1-D scanning and Cognex in
machine vision, respectively. We believe that we are a significant competitor in
the machine vision industry based upon the breadth of our product lines, our
customer base and our board array of patents. The pricing of our semiconductor
inspection systems, is somewhat higher, generally, than that of our competitors,
but we do not regard this factor as a significant competitive disadvantage as
customers have historically enhanced their willingness to pay our asking prices
to obtain features that are unavailable in our competitors' product offerings.


RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT


     Our sponsored research and development efforts over recent years have been
largely devoted to continued development of advanced 2-D and 3-D vision
technology and applications software for use in various inspection and process
control automation systems. Research and development has also included activity
related to automatic identification technology development. Research and
development expenditures, net of capitalized software development costs, were
$10,472,000, $28,121,000, $25,465,000 and $21,834,000 for the six months ended
March 31, 1999 and the years ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996,
respectively. In the six months ended March 31, 1999 and in the fiscal years
ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996, RVSI capitalized $3,832,000,
$7,397,000, $4,842,000 and $2,630,000, respectively, of its software development
costs in accordance with the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting
Standards No. 86.


                                       22
<PAGE>   25

ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION

     We believe that compliance with federal, state, local and, where
applicable, foreign environmental regulations does not have any material effect
on our capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position.

EMPLOYEES


     At March 31, 1999 we employed 689 persons, of whom 275 were engineering and
other technical personnel. None of our employees is a member of a labor union.


FACILITIES

     Our executive offices, as well as our Acuity CiMatrix division, are located
in a 60,000 square foot facility in Canton, Massachusetts. The Acuity CiMatrix
division also maintains a 50,000 square foot engineering facility in Nashua, New
Hampshire and its Northeast Robotics operations are located in a 12,000 square
foot facility in Weare, New Hampshire. Our electronics division is located in a
65,000 square foot facility located in Hauppauge, New York. Systemation's
operations are located in a 90,000 square foot facility located in New Berlin,
Wisconsin and Vanguard's operations are located in a 38,000 square foot facility
in Tucson, Arizona.

     We also maintain sales and service offices across the United States to
support our various operations. The Acuity CiMatrix division has sales and
service offices in the United Kingdom, France and Germany. We maintain sales and
service offices in Singapore and Taiwan to support our semiconductor equipment
group's operations.

     All of our facilities are leased, with lease expiration dates ranging from
1999 to 2013.

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS


     We initiated two actions in the United States District Court for the
Central District of California against GSI and its View subsidiary, alleging
infringement by View of a number of our patents relating to View's assembly and
distribution of View's own 3-D machine vision products. In June 1998, the Court,
in the first of these actions, involving the coplanarity inspection of ball grid
array semiconductor package substrates, found infringement by View and granted
our request for injunctive relief against View. This ruling has been appealed by
View to the United States Appeals Court for the Federal Circuit. The second of
these actions, in which we have sought both injunctive relief and monetary
damages, is presently expected to come to trial on or about November 15, 1999.


                                       23
<PAGE>   26


                                   MANAGEMENT


EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS OF THE REGISTRANT

     Set forth below is information concerning each of our directors and
executive officers.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
NAME                                    AGE            POSITIONS AND OFFICES
- ----                                    ---            ---------------------
<S>                                     <C>    <C>
Pat V. Costa..........................  55     Chairman of the Board, President,
                                               and Chief Executive Officer
Howard Stern..........................  61     Senior Vice President and Director
Frank D. Edwards......................  44     Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
Curtis W. Howes.......................  48     Vice President
John S. O'Brien.......................  45     Vice President
Earl H. Rideout.......................  52     Senior Vice President
Neal H. Sanders.......................  49     Vice President
Frank A. DiPietro.....................  72     Director
Jay M. Haft...........................  63     Director
Tomas Kohn............................  58     Director
Donald J. Kramer......................  66     Director
Mark J. Lerner........................  46     Director
Robert H. Walker......................  63     Director
</TABLE>


     PAT V. COSTA has served as our president, chief executive officer and
chairman of our board of directors since 1984. Previously and from 1977, Mr.
Costa was employed by GCA Corporation, most recently in the capacity of
executive vice president. GCA was engaged in the manufacturing of various
electronic instrumentation equipment and systems.



     HOWARD STERN has been our senior vice president and technical director
since 1984. Previously and from 1981, he was our vice president. Mr. Stern has
been a director since 1981.


     FRANK D. EDWARDS joined us in March 1999 as our corporate vice president of
finance, secretary and chief financial officer. Prior to joining us and since
1986, he was employed by Electronic Designs, Inc. Most recently, until that
company's merger with Bowmar Instrument Corporation in October 1998, he was
senior vice president and chief financial officer and a member of its board.

     CURTIS W. HOWES joined us in May 1997 as corporate vice president of
automatic identification. From 1991 to 1997, he was employed by Intermec
Corporation, most recently as general manager of Intermec's imaging systems
division, which designed, manufactured and sold vision-based products for
symbology reading.

     JOHN S. O'BRIEN joined us in February 1997 as corporate vice president of
human resources. Previously and from 1990, he was vice president, human
resources and chief financial officer of Charles River Data Systems, an imbedded
systems developer and manufacturer.

     EARL H. RIDEOUT has been corporate senior vice president of our
semiconductor equipment group since January 1997. Previously and from 1989 he
was vice president/general manager of our electronics division.

                                       24
<PAGE>   27

     NEAL H. SANDERS joined us in February 1999 as corporate vice president of
corporate communications and investor relations. From 1980 through 1998, he held
comparable positions at Analog Devices, Inc., Bolt Beranek and Newman, Inc.,
Information Analysis, Inc. and Microdyne Corporation.


     FRANK A. DIPIETRO has been a director since 1992. Mr. Dipietro began his
career with General Motors in 1944. During his forty-six year career with GM, he
was actively involved in automobile assembly and manufacturing engineering
systems. He retired in 1990 and continues as a consultant in laser systems in
several industries, most recently for the University of Michigan in evaluating
laser applications in the global auto industry. At the time of his retirement,
Mr. DiPietro held the position of director of manufacturing engineering,
Chevrolet-Pontiac-Canada car group, for GM. In 1996, he was elected to the
position of director-at-large for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.



     JAY M. HAFT has been a practicing attorney for over 30 years and a
strategic and financial consultant for growth stage companies. Mr. Haft, who has
been a director since 1977, also serves as chairman of Noise Cancellation
Technologies, Inc. and Extech, Inc. both public companies whose respective
securities are traded on the Nasdaq Small Cap Market. He is a managing general
partner of Gen Am "1" Venture Fund, an international venture capital fund. Mr.
Haft is also a director of numerous other public and private corporations. From
1989 until 1994, he was a partner of Parker Duryee Rosoff & Haft in New York,
New York. He is currently of counsel to such firm.



     TOMAS KOHN, a director of RVSI since 1997, has been a professor of
management at Boston University's School of Management in the undergraduate,
MBA, and executive MBA programs since 1988. Dr. Kohn is the chairman of Conduit
del Ecuador, a steel tubing manufacturer, and a member of the board of
Ideal-Alambrec, a steel wire manufacturer, both in Quito, Ecuador. He has held
these positions since 1974 and 1972, respectively. From 1987 until our
acquisition of Computer Identics in 1996, Dr. Kohn was a member of Computer
Identics' board, and its chairman since 1992. From 1986 until 1995, Dr. Kohn was
a member of the board of N.V. Bekaert S.A., the world's largest independent
steel wire manufacturer. N.V. Bekaert was a major shareholder of Computer
Identics.



     DONALD J. KRAMER was chairman of Acuity from 1994 until our acquisition of
Acuity in 1995, at which time he became one of our directors. Mr. Kramer served
as a director of Itran Corp. from 1982 until its merger with Automatix in 1994,
at which time the merger survivor assumed the Acuity name. Mr. Kramer is a
private investor and was a special limited partner of TA Associates, a private
equity capital firm located in Boston, Massachusetts, from January 1990 to March
1996. For the previous five years, Mr. Kramer was a general partner of TA
Associates. In January 1997, Mr. Kramer was elected to the board of
publicly-owned Micro Component Technology, Inc. Mr. Kramer is also a director of
several privately held companies.



     MARK J. LERNER has been president of Morgen, Evan & Company, Inc., an
investment banking firm which focuses on Japanese-U.S. transactions, since 1992.
Previously and from 1990, he was a managing director at Chase Manhattan Bank
where he headed the Japan corporate finance group. From 1982 to 1990 Mr. Lerner
worked in the investment banking division of Merrill Lynch as head of its Japan
group, coordinating its New York-based Japanese activities with professionals in
Tokyo and London. He has been a director of RVSI since 1994.


                                       25
<PAGE>   28


     ROBERT H. WALKER was, before his retirement in March 1998, our executive
vice president and secretary-treasurer, a position he had held since 1986. From
1984 to 1986 he was our senior vice president. From 1983 to 1985 he also served
as our treasurer. He has been a director of RVSI since 1990. Mr. Walker is also
a director of Tel Instrument Electronics Corporation, a publicly-owned company.


COMPENSATION

     Set forth below is the aggregate compensation for services rendered in all
capacities during our fiscal years ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996 by
our chief executive officer. Each of our four other most highly compensated
executive officers whose compensation exceeded $100,000 during our fiscal year
ended September 30, 1998 and two other executive officers who would have been
disclosed had they been employed at the fiscal year end.

                           SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       LONG TERM COMPENSATION
                                      ANNUAL COMPENSATION        ----------------------------------
                                 -----------------------------           AWARDS            PAYOUTS
                                                        OTHER    ----------------------   ---------      ALL
NAME AND                                               ANNUAL    RESTRICTED               LONG TERM     OTHER
PRINCIPAL                                              COMPEN-     STOCK      NUMBER OF   INCENTIVE    COMPEN-
POSITION                  YEAR    SALARY    BONUS(1)   SATION      AWARDS      OPTIONS     PAYOUTS    SATION(2)
- ---------                 ----   --------   --------   -------   ----------   ---------   ---------   ---------
<S>                       <C>    <C>        <C>        <C>       <C>          <C>         <C>         <C>
Pat V. Costa............  1998   $315,016   $55,000      --         --           --          --        $2,400
  Chief executive         1997    293,478   $50,000      --         --           --          --        $2,375
  officer                 1996    252,801   $85,000      --         --           --          --        $2,250

John J. Arcari(3).......  1998   $175,008   $ 5,000      --         --           --          --            --
  Former chief financial
  officer

Curtis W. Howes.........  1998   $138,231   $20,000      --         --           --          --        $  300
  Vice president

Earl H. Rideout.........  1998   $150,010   $25,000      --         --           --          --        $2,400
  Senior vice president   1997    143,318   $25,000      --         --           --          --        $2,400
                          1996    122,747   $40,000      --         --           --          --        $2,250

Howard Stern............  1998   $165,006   $30,000      --         --           --          --        $2,400
  Senior vice president   1997    159,625   $30,000      --         --           --          --        $2,375
                          1996    144,544   $60,000      --         --           --          --        $2,250

Steven J. Bilodeau(4)...  1998   $232,497   $50,000      --         --           --          --        $2,400
  Former executive vice   1997    206,545   $45,000      --         --           --          --        $2,375
  president               1996    167,280   $75,000      --         --           --          --        $2,250

Robert H. Walker(5).....  1998   $151,362   $35,000      --         --           --          --        $2,400
  Former senior vice      1997    159,625   $35,000      --         --           --          --        $2,375
  president               1996    142,229   $60,000      --         --           --          --        $2,250
</TABLE>


- -------------------------

(1) Represents amounts earned in the prior fiscal year which were paid in the
    fiscal year shown. There were no bonuses earned for the fiscal year ended
    September 30, 1998.

(2) Represents accrued and vested payments under our retirement plan.

(3) Mr. Arcari joined us in August 1997 as our vice president-finance. Mr.
    Arcari resigned in March 1999.

                                       26
<PAGE>   29

(4) Mr. Bilodeau resigned in June 1998.

(5) Mr. Walker retired in March 1998.

OPTION GRANTS IN LAST FISCAL YEAR

     Set forth below is information with respect to our grants of stock options
to each of the named persons in the summary compensation table, above.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                         NUMBER       PERCENT OF
                           OF        TOTAL OPTIONS
                       SECURITIES       GRANTED
                       UNDERLYING    TO EMPLOYEES     EXERCISE
                        OPTIONS        IN FISCAL      PRICE PER    EXPIRATION    PRESENT
NAME                    GRANTED          YEAR           SHARE         DATE       VALUE(1)
- ----                   ----------    -------------    ---------    ----------    --------
<S>                    <C>           <C>              <C>          <C>           <C>
Curtis W. Howes......    16,667           0.6%          $4.13       5/05/03      $14,601
Curtis W. Howes......    16,667           0.6            4.13       7/01/03       16,808
Earl H. Rideout......     7,743           0.3            4.13       7/22/05       11,182
Earl H. Rideout......    34,263           1.2            3.19       9/01/04       66,662
Howard Stern.........    30,000           1.1            4.13       6/26/08       71,523
Steven J. Bilodeau...    10,000           0.4            4.13       6/26/01       16,714
Robert H. Walker.....    15,000           0.5            4.13       6/26/04       37,784
                        -------           ---           -----
                        130,340           4.7%
                        =======           ===
</TABLE>


- -------------------------

(1) Computed in accordance with the Black-Scholes option pricing model utilizing
    the following assumptions: volatility of 70%, risk-free interest rate of
    4.3% and an expected life of five years.

                                       27
<PAGE>   30

OPTION EXERCISES IN LAST FISCAL YEAR
AND FISCAL YEAR END OPTION VALUES

     Set forth below is further information with respect to the unexercised and
exercised options to purchase our common stock under our stock option plans:


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     NUMBER OF UNEXERCISED         VALUE OF UNEXERCISED
                          SHARES                          OPTIONS AT               IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS
                         ACQUIRED                     SEPTEMBER 30, 1998         AT SEPTEMBER 30, 1998(2)
                            ON         VALUE      ---------------------------   ---------------------------
NAME                     EXERCISE   REALIZED(1)   EXERCISABLE   UNEXERCISABLE   EXERCISABLE   UNEXERCISABLE
- ----                     --------   -----------   -----------   -------------   -----------   -------------
<S>                      <C>        <C>           <C>           <C>             <C>           <C>
Pat V. Costa...........       --           --       207,326        309,699       $200,131          --
John J. Arcari.........       --           --        20,000         80,000             --          --
Curtis W. Howes........       --           --            --         33,334             --          --
Earl H. Rideout........       --           --        32,994         42,006       $ 38,056          --
Howard Stern...........   20,830      $30,786        15,000         60,970             --          --
Steven J. Bilodeau.....       --           --        37,973        172,027             --          --
Robert H. Walker.......       --           --        26,113         38,228             --          --
</TABLE>


- -------------------------

(1) Based on the exercise of 13,061 shares at $2.56 fair market value on the
    date of exercise less the $1.00 per share cost to exercise and the exercise
    of 7,769 shares at $2.56 fair market value on the date of exercise less the
    $1.00 per share cost to exercise.

(2) Based on the September 30, 1998 fair market value of $2.69 less the cost to
    exercise.

PENSION BENEFITS

     The following table sets forth the estimated annual plan benefits payable
upon retirement in 1999 at age sixty-five after fifteen, twenty, twenty-five,
thirty and thirty-five years of credited service.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       YEARS OF SERVICE
                        -----------------------------------------------
REMUNERATION              15        20        25        30        35
- ------------            -------   -------   -------   -------   -------
<S>                     <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>
  $100,000...........   $19,824   $26,432   $33,041   $33,041   $33,041
  125,000............    25,525    34,033    42,541    42,541    42,541
  150,000............    31,225    41,633    52,041    52,041    52,041
  175,000............    33,505    44,673    55,841    55,841    55,841
  200,000............    33,505    44,673    55,841    55,841    55,841
  225,000............    33,505    44,673    55,841    55,841    55,841
  250,000............    33,505    44,673    55,841    55,841    55,841
  300,000............    33,505    44,673    55,841    55,841    55,841
  400,000............    33,505    44,673    55,841    55,841    55,841
  500,000............    33,505    44,673    55,841    55,841    55,841
</TABLE>

     The amount of compensation covered by our pension plan is determined in
accordance with rules established by the Internal Revenue Service and includes
all dollar items shown on the summary compensation table with the exception of
401(k) contributions. Effective with the fiscal year beginning October 1, 1998,
for purposes of calculating the pension benefit, earnings are limited to
$160,000, as adjusted for any cost of living increases

                                       28
<PAGE>   31

authorized by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. This earnings limit
will continue to be $160,000 for calendar year 1999.

     At September 30, 1998, Messrs. Costa, Rideout and Stern had, respectively,
14, 10 and 27 years of credited service.

     A participant in the pension plan will receive retirement income based on
23% of his final average salary up to his applicable social security covered
compensation level plus 38% of any excess, reduced proportionately for less than
twenty-five years of credited service at normal retirement at age 65, subject to
the $160,000 limit described above. Final average salary is defined in the
pension plan as the average of a participant's total compensation during the
five consecutive calendar years in the ten calendar year period prior to his
normal retirement date which produces the highest average. A participant is 100%
vested in his accrued pension benefit after five years of service as defined in
the pension plan.

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS

     Mr. Pat Costa is employed as our chief executive officer and president
under an indefinite term agreement which currently provides for an annual base
salary of $315,000. Pursuant to the terms of his employment agreement, Mr. Costa
has been granted certain rights in the event of the termination of his
employment or a change in control of us. Specifically, in the event of
termination for any reason other than for cause and other than voluntarily, Mr.
Costa will be entitled to the continuance of salary and certain fringe benefits
for a period of twelve months and may exercise all outstanding stock options
which are exercisable during the twelve-month period following termination at
any time within such twelve-month period. In the event of the occurrence of a
change in our control (as defined in his employment agreement) and, further, in
the event that Mr. Costa is not serving in the positions of our chief executive
officer, president and chairman, other than for cause, within one year
thereafter, Mr. Costa will be entitled to exercise all outstanding stock
options, regardless of when otherwise exercisable, during the six-month period
following the termination date of his employment.

     We have also granted certain rights in the event of termination of
employment to Messrs. Edwards, Howes, Rideout and Stern. In the event of
involuntary termination other than for cause, each officer will be given six
months severance pay and continued benefits. In addition, we have agreed to
provide a maximum of one hundred days' advance written notice to Mr. Stern in
the event we should desire to terminate his employment other than for cause. In
such event, he shall be entitled to exercise all outstanding stock options,
regardless of when otherwise exercisable, during a specified period following
such termination.

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

     Mr. Jay M. Haft, a director, is of counsel to Parker Duryee Rosoff & Haft,
our general counsel prior to March 1, 1997.

     Mr. Mark J. Lerner, a director, is President of Morgen, Evan. Mr. Lerner,
through Morgen, Evan, provided consultation services relative to our
international marketing and sales efforts. In accordance with an agreement dated
December 1993 (which was prior to his becoming a director), during the fiscal
years ended September 30, 1996, September 30, 1997 and September 30, 1998, we
compensated Mr. Lerner, through Morgen, Evan, in cash in the amounts of $87,369,
$62,390 and $9,800, respectively, as well as with four-year warrants, at
exercise prices of $12.88, $13.13 and $2.57, respectively, to acquire an

                                       29
<PAGE>   32

aggregate of 42,434, 2,565 and 18,000 shares of our common stock, respectively.
All warrants were issued at the fair market value of our common stock on the
date of grant. We believe that the compensation we paid to Morgen, Evan was no
greater than what we would have had to pay to an unaffiliated person for
substantially similar services.

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

     During the fiscal year ended September 30, 1998, the following officers
participated in discussions concerning executive officer compensation: Pat V.
Costa, John J. Arcari, Howard Stern and Robert H. Walker. Each of the named
participants recused himself in discussions concerning his own compensation.

                                       30
<PAGE>   33


                             PRINCIPAL STOCKHOLDERS



     The following table sets forth certain information regarding the ownership
of our common stock as of June 10, 1999 by


     - each director

     - each person known by us to own beneficially 5% or more of our common
       stock

     - each officer named in the summary compensation table elsewhere in this
       prospectus

     - all directors and executive officers as a group


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          NUMBER OF SHARES
                                           OF COMMON STOCK           PERCENT
NAME AND ADDRESS OF BENEFICIAL OWNER    BENEFICIALLY OWNED(1)        OF CLASS
- ------------------------------------    ---------------------        --------
<S>                                     <C>                          <C>
Pat V. Costa..........................          238,927(2)             1.0%
Frank A. DiPietro.....................           54,770(3)             *
Jay M. Haft...........................          487,546(4)             1.9%
Tomas Kohn............................           49,155(5)             *
Donald J. Kramer......................           22,654(6)             *
Mark J. Lerner........................           88,451(7)             *
Howard Stern..........................           72,978(8)             *
Robert H. Walker......................           77,825(9)             *
John J. Arcari........................           20,000(10)            *
Steven J. Bilodeau....................           42,974(10)            *
Curtis W. Howes.......................            7,168(11)            *
Earl H. Rideout.......................           33,302(12)            *
Fisher Capital, Ltd., Wingate Capital
  Ltd., Citadel Limited Partnership,
  GLB Partners, L.P., Citadel
  Investment Group, L.L.C., Wellington
  Partners Limited Partnership,
  Kensington Global Strategies Fund
  Ltd. and Kenneth Griffin(13)........        2,118,217(14)            7.5%
  c/o Citadel Limited Partnership
  225 West Washington St.
  9th Floor
  Chicago, IL 60606
All current executive officers and
  directors as a group (14 persons)...        1,201,450(15)(16)        4.5%
</TABLE>


- -------------------------

  *  Denotes less than 1%.


 (1) Except as otherwise indicated, includes shares underlying currently
     exercisable options and warrants as well as those options and warrants
     which will become exercisable within 60 days of June 10, 1999. Except as
     otherwise indicated, the named persons herein have sole voting and
     dispositive power with respect to beneficially owned shares.


                                       31
<PAGE>   34

 (2) Includes 207,326 shares underlying options and 1,601 vested shares held
     under our retirement investment plan.

 (3) Includes 1,000 shares underlying options; also includes 31,770 shares owned
     of record by Mr. DiPietro's spouse.

 (4) Includes 23,000 shares underlying options; also includes, 398,100 shares
     owned of record by Mr. Haft's spouse and 7,666 shares held indirectly in a
     retirement trust.

 (5) Includes 1,000 shares underlying options; also includes 1,684 shares owned
     of record by Mr. Kohn's spouse.

 (6) Includes 9,802 shares underlying options; also includes 10,000 shares held
     indirectly in an irrevocable trust with Mr. Kramer's spouse as trustee. Mr.
     Kramer disclaims any interest in these shares.

 (7) Includes 82,451 shares underlying warrants held by Morgen, Evan & Company,
     Inc., of which Mr. Lerner is the principal owner; also includes 6,000
     shares underlying options.

 (8) Includes 20,000 shares underlying options and 6,148 vested shares held
     under our retirement investment plan.

 (9) Includes 26,113 shares underlying options and 17,632 shares indirectly in a
     retirement account.

(10) Represents shares underlying options.

(11) Includes 6,668 shares underlying options.

(12) Includes 32,994 shares underlying options and 308 vested shares held under
     our retirement investment plan.

(13) Represents shares held by a "group," within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3)
     of the Securities Exchange Act, as reflected in Schedule 13G, filed with
     the SEC on March 3, 1999. According to this Schedule, Fisher Capital, Ltd.
     and Wingate Capital Ltd., as well as Wellington Partners Limited
     Partnership and Global Strategies Fund Ltd., are controlled by Citadel
     Limited Partnership, which in turn is controlled by GLB Partners, L.P.,
     Citadel Investment Group and Kenneth Griffin.

(14) Includes 1,741,294 shares underlying certain prepaid common stock purchase
     warrants, based upon an assumed exercise price of $4.02 per share, and
     376,923 shares underlying certain incentive stock purchase warrants, whose
     respective terms are discussed elsewhere in this prospectus. The prepaid
     warrants are not exercisable prior to August 19, 1999; the incentive
     warrants are currently exercisable at an exercise price of $4.02 per share.

(15) Includes an aggregate of 481,995 shares underlying options and warrants.

(16) Includes an aggregate of 8,057 vested shares held in our investment
     retirement plan.

                                       32
<PAGE>   35


                         DESCRIPTION OF OUR SECURITIES


COMMON STOCK


     We are currently authorized to issue up to 75,000,000 shares of our common
stock, $.01 par value. As of June 10, 1999, 26,235,635 shares of our common
stock were issued and outstanding, and held of record by approximately 4,763
persons. We estimate that there are in excess of 20,000 beneficial owners of our
common stock.


     Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to such dividends as may
be declared from time to time by the board in its discretion, on a ratable
basis, out of funds legally available therefrom, and to a pro rata share of all
assets available for distribution upon liquidation, dissolution or other winding
up of our affairs. All of the outstanding shares of our common stock are fully
paid and non-assessable.

WARRANTS


     The following summary presents and describes all material terms of both the
prepaid warrants and the incentive warrants.



     As of June 10, 1999, there were issued and outstanding $11,000,000 in
stated value of prepaid warrants held of record by four persons, each allowing
the holder to acquire an indeterminate number of shares based on the market
price of our common stock at the date of exercise. Each prepaid warrant is
exercisable at the lower of $4.02 per share or 95% of the average of the three
lowest closing bid prices of RVSI common stock during the 20-day trading period
ending on the date of notice of exercise, which 20-day trading period is subject
to extension as set forth in the prepaid warrants.


     The prepaid warrants bear an annual premium of 7% per annum, payable in
cash or, at our option, in shares of its common stock, and are initially
exercisable, to the extent of 25% of the total number of shares issuable,
commencing on the 180th day following their issuance, increasing by increments
of 25% every 90 days thereafter so that after the passage of 450 days following
the date of original issuance, the prepaid warrants will have become fully
exercisable.


     The exercisability of the prepaid warrants may be accelerated, among other
events, upon the occurrence of



      - certain mergers between us and other entities in which we are not the
        survivor



      - the disposition of all or substantially all of our assets



      - the announcement by a third party of a tender or exchange offer for no
        less than half of our then outstanding common stock or of its intention
        to replace a majority of our board



      - an event of default as specified in the prepaid warrants



     The prepaid warrants contain provisions pursuant to which their fixed
exercise price will be adjusted upon the occurrence of certain events, including
our failure to have an effective registration statement under the Securities Act
covering resales of those shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the
prepaid warrants. In addition, subject to certain exceptions, if we issue common
stock or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of common
stock at a conversion or exchange rate based on a discount to the market price
of the common stock at the time of issuance of the common stock or other
securities, the fixed exercise price after such issuance shall be adjusted
downward proportionately in accordance with a standard anti-dilution formula.


                                       33
<PAGE>   36


     The following table illustrates the effect of various exercise prices on
the number of shares that may be issued, assuming the prepaid warrants are
exercised at the following exercise prices, without calculating the number of
shares issuable in connection with accrued and unpaid premium amounts:



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               NUMBER OF SHARES     PERCENTAGE OF
ASSUMED                                        OF COMMON STOCK       OUTSTANDING
EXERCISE                                        ISSUABLE UPON        COMMON STOCK
PRICE(1)                                         EXERCISE(2)       UPON EXERCISE(3)
- --------                                       ----------------    ----------------
<S>                                            <C>                 <C>
$4.02(4).....................................     2,736,319               9.4%
$3.50........................................     3,142,858              10.7%
$3.00........................................     3,666,667              12.3%
$2.50(5).....................................     4,400,000              14.4%
$2.00(5).....................................     5,500,000              17.3%
$1.50(5).....................................     7,333,334              21.8%
</TABLE>


- -------------------------


(1) Generally, the exercise price will be the lower of the fixed exercise price
    ($4.02 per share) or the fluctuating market price. Therefore, there is no
    minimum exercise price, and, unless the number of outstanding shares of
    common stock is reduced by a reverse stock split or other capital stock
    reducing event, the exercise price will not exceed $4.02 per share.



(2) Calculated by dividing the $11,000,000 aggregate stated value of the prepaid
    warrants by the assumed exercise price (column 1 of this table). No effect
    has been given to the possible issuance of up to 1,247,222 shares of common
    stock upon exercise of the incentive warrants as their exercise price of
    $4.02 is equal to or greater than the assumed exercise prices.



(3) Assumes that the number of shares of common stock outstanding after the
    issuance of the number of shares set forth in column 2 of this table is the
    sum of the 27,545,485 shares outstanding as of June 10, 1999 and the number
    of shares set forth in column 2 of this table.



(4) We will have the right, exercisable upon no more than four occasions, to
    redeem the prepaid warrants at a redemption price of 120% of the prepaid
    amount, inclusive of accrued and unpaid premium whenever the warrant
    exercise price is less than $4.02 per share.



(5) If the exercise price of the prepaid warrants for which a notice of exercise
    has been given is $2.50 or less, we may elect to redeem such prepaid
    warrants for cash. There can be no assurance that we will have the necessary
    cash resources to effect such redemption.


     The prepaid warrants are subject to call at our option if both, during the
20-day trading day period immediately preceding the date of our notice of
redemption the average closing bid price, and on the date of our notice of
redemption the closing bid price, of our common stock is less than $4.02 per
share, subject to anti-dilution adjustment, at a cash price equal to 120% of the
exercise amount of the prepaid warrants, inclusive of earned premium, called for
redemption. Such call right may be exercised by us up to four times during the
term of the prepaid warrants. The prepaid warrants are also subject to
redemption by us, at our option, if their exercise price falls below $2.50 per
share.


     There were also issued and outstanding as of June 10, 1999 five-year
incentive common stock purchase warrants to purchase an additional 1,247,222
shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $4.02 per share. The
incentive warrants provide for a downward adjustment of their exercise price in
the event that, subject to certain exceptions, we issue common stock or
securities convertible into or exercisable for common


                                       34
<PAGE>   37


stock at a price below the average closing bid prices for shares of the common
stock for the 5 trading days immediately preceding the relevant issuance date.
See "Selling Stockholders."


LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

     As permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, our
restated certificate of incorporation provides that our directors shall not be
personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for breach of
fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability

     - for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to us or our
       stockholders

     - for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional
       misconduct or a knowing violation of law

     - under section 174 of the Delaware law, relating to unlawful payment of
       dividends or unlawful stock purchases or redemption of stock

     - for any transaction from which the director derives an improper personal
       benefit.

     As a result of this provision, we and our stockholders may be unable to
obtain monetary damages from a director for breach of his or her duty of care.

     Our restated certificate of incorporation provides for the indemnification
of our directors and officers, and, to the extent authorized by our board in its
sole and absolute discretion, employees and agents, to the full extent
authorized by, and subject to the conditions set forth in the Delaware law. We
currently maintain liability insurance for the benefit of our directors and
officers.

DELAWARE ANTI-TAKEOVER LAW

     We are subject to the provisions of section 203 of the Delaware law.
Section 203 prohibits publicly held Delaware corporations from engaging in a
"business combination" with an "interested stockholder" for a period of three
years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested
stockholder, unless the business combination is approved in a prescribed manner.
A "business combination" includes mergers, asset sales and other transactions
resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to
certain exceptions, an "interested stockholder" is a person who, together with
affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years did own, 15% or more of
the corporation's voting stock. These provisions could have the effect of
delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us or reducing the
price that certain investors might be willing to pay in the future for shares of
our common stock.

SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN

     We have a shareholder rights plan. The plan is intended to deter coercive
or partial offers which will not provide fair value to all stockholders and
enhance our ability to represent all stockholders and thereby maximize
stockholder values.

     Pursuant to a rights agreement with American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company, as rights agent, one right was issued for each outstanding share of our
common stock on May 26, 1998. Each right entitles the registered holder to
purchase one-third of a share of common stock, at a price of $18.00 per
one-third of a share. The rights generally will not become exercisable unless
and until, among other things, any person, other than the purchasers of the
prepaid warrants, acquires 15% or more of our outstanding common stock. The
rights are redeemable under certain circumstances at $.005 per right and will
expire, unless earlier redeemed or extended, on May 26, 2008.

                                       35
<PAGE>   38

TRANSFER AGENT

     The transfer agent for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust
Company.


                              SELLING STOCKHOLDERS


     The registration statement, of which this prospectus forms a part, relates
to our registration, for the account of the selling stockholders, of an
aggregate of 10,437,361 shares of our common stock underlying the prepaid
warrants and 1,222,222 shares of our common stock underlying the incentive
warrants. These shares are being registered pursuant to registration rights
granted by us to the selling stockholders in February 1999 in connection with
their acquisition of the prepaid warrants and the incentive warrants.

     The prepaid warrants are not exercisable until August 19, 1999 and
thereafter only in 25% cumulative quarter-annual installments. For purposes of
presenting information concerning the sale of the underlying shares of common
stock by the selling stockholders, we have assumed that the prepaid warrants
were exercised in full on April 6, 1999 and that the number of shares issuable
upon such exercise would have been approximately 5,218,680 shares based on an
exercise price (as described below) of $2.11 per share. Pursuant to an agreement
with the holders of the prepaid warrants, we agreed to register twice such
number of shares. The actual number of shares being sold by the selling
stockholders may be less than 10,437,361 shares (to a minimum of 2,736,318
shares) to the extent the exercise price of the prepaid warrants is greater than
$1.06 per share. If the exercise price of the prepaid warrants is lower than
$1.06 per share, we have agreed to file another registration statement to
register additional shares for the account of the selling stockholders.

     The exercise price of the prepaid warrants is equal to the lower of (i) 95%
of the average of the three lowest closing bid prices of the common stock for
the 20 trading days prior to the date of exercise (which 20-day trading period
shall increase by one day for each 30 day period subsequent to August 19, 1999
for which the exercise price is computed) or (ii) $4.02.

     We believe, based on information supplied by the following persons, that
except as noted, the persons named in this table have sole voting and investment
power with respect to all shares of common stock which they beneficially own.
The last column in this table assumes the sale of all of our shares offered by
this prospectus.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                   SHARES OWNED
                                     PRIOR TO      COMMON STOCK      SHARES OWNED
                                     OFFERING       OFFERED BY      AFTER OFFERING
NAMES OF                           ------------     BENEFICIAL     -----------------
SELLING STOCKHOLDERS                NUMBER(1)        OWNER(1)      NUMBER    PERCENT
- --------------------               ------------    ------------    ------    -------
<S>                                <C>             <C>             <C>       <C>
Fisher Capital Ltd...............   4,562,272       4,562,272       --         --
Omnicron Partners Ltd............   1,002,697       1,002,697       --         --
Wingate Capital Ltd..............   2,456,608       2,456,608       --         --
Zanett Lombardier Ltd............   3,008,091       3,008,091       --         --
Claudio Guazzoni.................     161,411         161,411       --         --
David McCarthy...................     161,411         161,411       --         --
Samuel L. Milbank................     107,609         107,609       --         --
Pacific Alliance Ltd.............     144,484(2)      144,484(2)    --         --
Heriot Holdings Limited..........     105,000         105,000       --         --
</TABLE>


- -------------------------


(1) Represents shares of common stock underlying prepaid warrants and incentive
    warrants.



(2) Includes 119,484 shares of common stock underlying incentive warrants.


                                       36
<PAGE>   39

     The sale of the selling stockholders' shares may be effected from time to
time in transactions, which may include block transactions by or for the account
of the selling stockholders, in the over-the-counter market or in negotiated
transactions, or through the writing of options on the selling stockholders'
shares, a combination of these methods of sale, or otherwise. Sales may be made
at fixed prices which may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of
sale, or at negotiated prices.

     The selling stockholders may effect the transactions by selling their
shares directly to purchasers, through broker-dealers acting as agents for the
selling stockholders, or to broker-dealers who may purchase shares as principals
and thereafter sell the selling stockholders' shares from time to time in the
over-the-counter market, in negotiated transactions, or otherwise. These
broker-dealers, if any, may receive compensation in the form of discounts,
concessions or commissions from the selling stockholders and/or the purchaser
for whom such broker-dealers may act as agents or to whom they may sell as
principals or both, which compensation as to a particular broker-dealer may be
in excess of customary commissions.

     The selling stockholders and broker-dealers, if any, acting in connection
with these sales might be deemed to be "underwriters" within the meaning of
section 2(11) of the Securities Act. Any commission they receive and any profit
upon the resale of the securities might be deemed to be underwriting discounts
and commissions under the Securities Act.

     Sales of any shares of common stock by the selling stockholders may depress
the price of the common stock in any market that may develop for the common
stock.

     Any securities covered by this prospectus that qualify for sale pursuant to
SEC Rule 144 under the Securities Act may be sold under that Rule rather than
pursuant to this prospectus.

     There can be no assurance that the selling stockholders will sell any or
all of the shares of common stock covered by this prospectus.


                                 LEGAL MATTERS


     The validity of the shares of our common stock covered by this prospectus
has been passed upon by Cooperman Levitt Winikoff Lester & Newman, P.C., New
York, New York. Certain members of this firm own shares of our common stock.


                                    EXPERTS



     The consolidated financial statements of Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. and
subsidiaries as of September 30, 1998 and 1997, and for each of the three years
in the period ended September 30, 1998, and the related financial statement
schedule included in this prospectus have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP,
independent auditors, as stated in their report appearing herein, and has been
so included in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority
as experts in accounting and auditing.


                                       37
<PAGE>   40


                             AVAILABLE INFORMATION


     We have filed a registration statement, including exhibits, schedules and
amendments, with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Act with respect to this
offering of our securities. This prospectus is part of the registration
statement but does not contain all of the information in the registration
statement. We refer you to the registration statement for further information
about us, our securities and this offering. Statements in this prospectus about
documents filed as exhibits to the registration statement are necessarily
summaries of these documents, and each of these statements is qualified in its
entirety by reference to the copy of the applicable document filed with the SEC.
The registration statement is available for inspection at the SEC's Public
Reference Room at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may
obtain information about the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling
the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, the SEC maintains an Internet site that
contains the registration statement. The address of the SEC's Internet site is
http://www.sec.gov.

                                       38
<PAGE>   41


                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



                 INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND


                          FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                              PAGE
                                                              ----
<S>                                                           <C>
Independent Auditors' Report................................   F-2
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 1998 and
  1997......................................................   F-3
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Years Ended
  September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996.........................   F-4
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity for the
  Years Ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996.............   F-5
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended
  September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996.........................   F-6
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for the Years
  Ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996...................   F-8
Schedule II: Valuation and Qualifying Accounts..............  F-29
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 1999
  (unaudited) and September 30, 1998........................  F-30
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for the Six
  Months Ended March 31, 1999 and 1998 (unaudited)..........  F-31
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Six
  Months Ended March 31, 1999 and 1998 (unaudited)..........  F-32
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the
  Six Months Ended March 31, 1999 and 1998 (unaudited)......  F-33
</TABLE>


                                       F-1
<PAGE>   42


                          INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT


To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of
Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. and subsidiaries:


     We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Robotic
Vision Systems, Inc. and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of September 30, 1998
and 1997, and the related consolidated statements of income, stockholders'
equity, and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended September
30, 1998. Our audits included the financial statement schedule listed in the
index at page F-1. These financial statements and financial statement schedule
are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to
express an opinion on these financial statements and financial statement
schedule based on our audits.


     We conducted our audits in accordance with generally accepted auditing
standards. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material
misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting
the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes
assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by
management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation.
We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

     In our opinion, such consolidated financial statements present fairly, in
all material respects, the financial position of the Company at September 30,
1998 and 1997, and the results of their operations and their cash flows for each
of the three years in the period ended September 30, 1998 in conformity with
generally accepted accounting principles. Also, in our opinion, such financial
statement schedule, when considered in relation to the basic consolidated
financial statements taken as a whole, presents fairly in all material respects
the information set forth therein.

                                              /s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Boston, Massachusetts
January 18, 1999

                                       F-2
<PAGE>   43


                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



                          CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

                          SEPTEMBER 30, 1998 AND 1997
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            1998         1997
                                                          ---------    --------
<S>                                                       <C>          <C>
                                    ASSETS
Current Assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents.............................  $   2,421    $  8,811
  Accounts receivable, net..............................     32,367      50,563
  Inventories...........................................     36,213      39,095
  Deferred income taxes.................................         --      10,643
  Prepaid expenses and other current assets.............      1,226       1,429
                                                          ---------    --------
          Total current assets..........................     72,227     110,541
  Plant and equipment, net..............................     17,591      14,507
  Deferred income taxes.................................      8,820          --
  Goodwill, net of accumulated amortization of $840 and
     $290...............................................      5,847       6,207
  Other assets..........................................     17,086       8,668
                                                          ---------    --------
                                                          $ 121,571    $139,923
                                                          =========    ========

                     LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Current Liabilities:
  Notes payable and current portion of long-term debt...  $  38,038    $ 10,623
  Accounts payable......................................     21,388      23,320
  Accrued expenses and other current liabilities........     21,073      19,623
  Advance contract payments received....................      1,216       1,816
                                                          ---------    --------
          Total current liabilities.....................     81,715      55,382
  Long-term debt........................................      3,059       6,414
  Deferred income taxes.................................         --       1,823
  Other liabilities.....................................         --         727
                                                          ---------    --------
          Total liabilities.............................     84,774      64,346
                                                          ---------    --------
  Commitments and contingencies (Note 11)...............
Stockholders' Equity:
  Common stock, $0.01 par value; shares authorized
     50,000 shares issued and outstanding;
     1998 -- 24,870 and 1997 -- 24,438..................        249         244
  Additional paid-in capital............................    168,493     166,623
  Accumulated deficit...................................   (131,962)    (91,457)
  Cumulative translation adjustment.....................         17         167
                                                          ---------    --------
          Total stockholders' equity....................     36,797      75,577
                                                          ---------    --------
                                                          $ 121,571    $139,923
                                                          =========    ========
</TABLE>

See notes to consolidated financial statements

                                       F-3
<PAGE>   44


                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

             FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1998, 1997 AND 1996
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                  1998        1997        1996
                                                --------    --------    --------
<S>                                             <C>         <C>         <C>
Revenues......................................  $169,007    $169,342    $153,975
Cost of revenues..............................    96,443      92,412      82,108
Inventory provisions..........................    16,562       1,435       3,052
                                                --------    --------    --------
Gross profit..................................    56,002      75,495      68,815
                                                --------    --------    --------
Operating costs and expenses:
Research and development expenses.............    28,121      25,465      21,834
Selling, general and administrative
  expenses....................................    58,877      48,259      44,861
Merger expenses...............................       623          69       2,661
Severance and other charges...................     6,615          --          --
Interest income...............................       (92)       (767)     (1,148)
Interest expense..............................     2,363       1,076         926
                                                --------    --------    --------
          Total operating costs and
             expenses.........................    96,507      74,102      69,134
                                                --------    --------    --------
Income (loss) before income taxes.............   (40,505)      1,393        (319)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes..........        --         745      (1,154)
                                                --------    --------    --------
Net income (loss).............................  $(40,505)   $    648    $    835
                                                ========    ========    ========
Net income (loss) per share:
  Basic.......................................  $  (1.65)   $   0.03    $   0.04
  Diluted.....................................  $  (1.65)   $   0.03    $   0.04
Weighted Average shares:
  Basic.......................................    24,613      23,718      22,092
  Diluted.....................................    24,613      23,967      23,385
</TABLE>


See notes to consolidated financial statements

                                       F-4
<PAGE>   45


                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

             FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1998, 1997 AND 1996
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                   COMMON STOCK
                                ------------------   ADDITIONAL                                UNREALIZED    CUMULATIVE
                                 NUMBER               PAID-IN     ACCUMULATED     DEFERRED       GAIN ON     TRANSLATION
                                OF SHARES   AMOUNT    CAPITAL       DEFICIT     COMPENSATION   INVESTMENTS   ADJUSTMENT
                                ---------   ------   ----------   -----------   ------------   -----------   -----------
<S>                             <C>         <C>      <C>          <C>           <C>            <C>           <C>
BALANCE, OCTOBER 1, 1995......   20,440      $204     $138,763     $ (94,766)       $(60)         $  --         $ 208
Shares issued in conjunction
  with the exercise of stock
  options and warrants........    1,511        15        5,821            --          --             --            --
Shares issued in connection
  with private placement, net
  of offering costs...........    1,233        12       10,116            --          --             --            --
Shares issued in connection
  with the acquisition of
  Northeast Robotics, Inc,
  accounted for as a
  purchase....................      139         1        2,675            --          --             --            --
Warrants issued for
  professional services.......       --        --           74            --          --             --            --
Other stock transactions......        9         1          158            --          60             --            --
Change in year end of pooled
  companies...................       --        --           --          (618)         --             --            --
Change in net unrealized
  holding gains...............       --        --           --            --          --            147            --
Translation adjustment........       --        --           --            --          --             --           (33)
Net income....................       --        --           --           835          --             --            --
                                 ------      ----     --------     ---------        ----          -----         -----
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1996...   23,332       233      157,607       (94,549)         --            147           175
Shares issued in connection
  with the exercise of stock
  options and warrants........      384         4        1,839            --          --             --            --
Other stock transactions......     (104)       (1)        (488)           --          --             --            --
Shares issued in connection
  with private placement, net
  of offering costs...........      826         8        7,665            --          --             --            --
Change in year end of pooled
  companies...................       --        --           --         2,444          --             --            --
Change in net unrealized
  holding gains...............       --        --           --            --          --           (147)           --
Translation adjustment........       --        --           --            --          --             --            (8)
Net income....................       --        --           --           648          --             --            --
                                 ------      ----     --------     ---------        ----          -----         -----
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1997...   24,438       244      166,623       (91,457)         --             --           167
Shares issued in connection
  with the exercise of stock
  options and warrants........      161         2          373            --          --             --            --
Shares issued in connection
  with license agreement and
  non-competition agreement...      271         3        1,497            --          --             --            --
Translation adjustment........       --        --           --            --          --             --          (150)
Net loss......................       --        --           --       (40,505)         --             --            --
                                 ------      ----     --------     ---------        ----          -----         -----
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1998...   24,870      $249     $168,493     $(131,962)       $ --          $  --         $  17
                                 ======      ====     ========     =========        ====          =====         =====

<CAPTION>

                                    TOTAL
                                STOCKHOLDERS'
                                   EQUITY
                                -------------
<S>                             <C>
BALANCE, OCTOBER 1, 1995......    $ 44,349
Shares issued in conjunction
  with the exercise of stock
  options and warrants........       5,836
Shares issued in connection
  with private placement, net
  of offering costs...........      10,128
Shares issued in connection
  with the acquisition of
  Northeast Robotics, Inc,
  accounted for as a
  purchase....................       2,676
Warrants issued for
  professional services.......          74
Other stock transactions......         219
Change in year end of pooled
  companies...................        (618)
Change in net unrealized
  holding gains...............         147
Translation adjustment........         (33)
Net income....................         835
                                  --------
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1996...      63,613
Shares issued in connection
  with the exercise of stock
  options and warrants........       1,843
Other stock transactions......        (489)
Shares issued in connection
  with private placement, net
  of offering costs...........       7,673
Change in year end of pooled
  companies...................
Change in net unrealized
  holding gains...............       2,444
Translation adjustment........        (147)
Net income....................          (8)
                                  --------
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1997...      75,577
Shares issued in connection
  with the exercise of stock
  options and warrants........         375
Shares issued in connection
  with license agreement and
  non-competition agreement...       1,500
Translation adjustment........        (150)
Net loss......................     (40,505)
                                  --------
BALANCE, SEPTEMBER 30, 1998...    $ 36,797
                                  ========
</TABLE>


See notes to consolidated financial statements

                                       F-5
<PAGE>   46


                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



                     CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

             FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1998, 1997 AND 1996
                                 (IN THOUSANDS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       1998       1997      1996
                                                     --------   --------   -------
<S>                                                  <C>        <C>        <C>
OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income (loss)..................................  $(40,505)  $    648   $   835
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net
  cash (used in) provided by operating activities:
  Deferred income taxes............................        --        (93)   (2,881)
  Depreciation and amortization....................     8,769      5,895     3,938
  Gain on disposal of business.....................        --       (812)       --
  Other............................................      (164)      (218)    1,318
  Changes in operating assets and liabilities (net
     of effects of business acquired):
     Accounts receivable...........................    18,196    (20,084)   (7,304)
     Inventories...................................     2,882    (14,093)   (6,781)
     Prepaid expense and other current assets......       203       (514)     (873)
     Other assets..................................    (7,024)    (4,811)   (2,845)
     Accounts payable..............................    (1,932)    10,709     2,433
     Accrued expenses and other current
       liabilities.................................     1,450      4,732     3,297
     Advanced contract payments received...........      (600)       (10)     (674)
     Other liabilities.............................        --        (82)     (164)
                                                     --------   --------   -------
     Net cash (used in) provided by operating
       activities..................................   (18,725)   (18,733)   (9,701)
                                                     --------   --------   -------
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from maturity of investments..............        --      2,319     1,000
Additions to plant and equipment, net..............    (9,137)    (7,915)   (6,972)
Proceeds from sale of business.....................        --        952        --
Payment for purchase of business...................        --     (3,144)      (77)
                                                     --------   --------   -------
     Net cash used in investing activities.........    (9,137)    (7,788)   (6,049)
                                                     --------   --------   -------
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from the issuance of common stock and
  warrants -- private equity placement (less
  offering costs)..................................        --      7,673    10,093
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and
  warrants.........................................       375      1,271     2,428
Purchase of treasury stock.........................        --       (650)       --
Net proceeds from (payments of) short-term
  borrowings.......................................    28,911     (2,833)    9,752
Proceeds from long-term borrowings.................        --      8,000       245
Repayment of long-term borrowings..................    (7,828)    (1,864)   (5,918)
                                                     --------   --------   -------
     Net cash provided by financing activities.....    21,458     11,597    16,600
                                                     --------   --------   -------
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH AND CASH
  EQUIVALENTS......................................        14        189        71
</TABLE>

                                       F-6
<PAGE>   47

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       1998       1997      1996
                                                     --------   --------   -------
<S>                                                  <C>        <C>        <C>
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH
  EQUIVALENTS......................................    (6,390)   (14,735)      921
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS:
  Beginning of year................................     8,811     23,546    18,859
                                                     --------   --------   -------
  End of year......................................  $  2,421   $  8,811   $19,780
                                                     ========   ========   =======
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Interest paid......................................  $  2,311   $  1,027   $   841
                                                     ========   ========   =======
Taxes paid.........................................       244   $    218   $ 1,415
                                                     ========   ========   =======
NONCASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Issuance of common stock and subordinated note
  payable in connection with technology license
  agreement and non-competition agreement..........  $  3,750         --        --
                                                     ========   ========   =======
Income tax benefit relating to the exercise of
  stock options....................................        16   $    572   $ 3,408
                                                     ========   ========   =======
Liabilities incurred in connection with acquisition
  of business......................................        --   $    902        --
                                                     ========   ========   =======
Property and equipment acquired under capital
  leases...........................................        --   $     22   $    99
                                                     ========   ========   =======
Issuance of common stock to acquire Northeast
  Robotics, Inc. ..................................        --         --   $ 2,676
                                                     ========   ========   =======
</TABLE>

See notes to consolidated financial statements

                                       F-7
<PAGE>   48


                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


             FOR THE YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1998, 1997 AND 1996

1.  BUSINESS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

     a.  DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS -- Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. ("RVSI") and
subsidiaries (the "Company") designs, manufactures, markets and sells automated
one dimensional ("1-D"), two dimensional ("2-D") and three dimensional ("3-D")
machine vision based products and systems for inspection, measurement and
identification, and is a leader in advanced electro-optical sensor technology.

     b.  OPERATIONS -- The Company incurred a loss for the fiscal year ended
September 30, 1998 primarily due to the effects of a substantial decline in
revenues resulting from a downturn in the semiconductor capital equipment
industry. Prior to the restatement of the Company's consolidated financial
statements for the acquisition of Vanguard Automation, Inc. as a pooling of
interests, the Company had been consistently profitable, earning $8.2 million in
fiscal 1997 and $9.7 million in fiscal 1996.

     During fiscal 1998, management took a series of steps to reduce expenses
and restructure operations in response to this industry downturn. In the second,
third and fourth quarters of fiscal 1998, the Company instituted workforce
reductions aggregating 39%, curtailed discretionary spending and capital
expenditures, combined its Acuity CiMatrix operations and sold the assets and
technology of its aircraft safety product line (which did not have significant
operations) in December 1998. Concurrently, the Company has successfully
introduced a range of new products designed to broaden sales beyond the
semiconductor industry.

     In March 1998, the Company entered into a new bank financing agreement
(Note 9) that contains restrictive covenants with which the Company has not been
in compliance. All instances of noncompliance have been waived by the banks
through January 29, 1999; however, absent continuation of waivers, the Company
will be in noncompliance at the end of the waiver period.

     Management continues to control expenses, inventory levels and capital
expenditures; is working with existing lenders to amend the Company's existing
bank financing agreement to provide new covenants; and is pursuing a number of
new debt or equity financing alternatives. The Company has signed a term sheet
with an institutional investor for a preferred equity financing which includes a
beneficial conversion feature and also provides for warrants. Proceeds of the
financing will be drawn down in two rounds with the first round available
immediately for $6.0 million and the second round available in three months for
$6.8 million. The Company expects to complete the first round of this
transaction in the near term. Management believes that through a combination of
proceeds from the preferred equity financing, obtaining additional external
financing, its domestic banks continuing to waive non-compliance of restrictive
covenants and cash flow from operating activities, the Company will have
sufficient liquidity through at least September 30, 1999 to fund its cash
requirements (See unaudited subsequent event Note 17).

     c.  PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION -- The consolidated financial statements
include the financial statements of Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. and its
subsidiaries, all of which are wholly-owned. All significant intercompany
transactions and balances have been eliminated

                                       F-8
<PAGE>   49

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


in consolidation. The effects of changes in fiscal years of pooled companies
(Vanguard Automation, Inc in fiscal 1998 and Systemation Engineered Products,
Inc. and Computer Identics in fiscal 1996) are recorded as adjustments to
accumulated deficit.

     d.  REVENUES AND COST OF REVENUES -- The Company recognizes revenue on its
standard electronic inspection and measurement products upon shipment. Revenue
from the licensing of software is recognized when the software is delivered if
collectibility is probable and there are no significant vendor obligations.
Engineering service and support revenue is recognized when such services are
rendered. Warranty costs associated with products sold with warranty protection,
as well as other post-contract support obligations, are estimated based on the
Company's historical experience and recorded in the period the product is sold.


     e.  CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS -- Cash and cash equivalents includes money
market accounts and certain debt securities issued by the United States
government purchased with an original maturity of three months or less.



     f.  INVENTORIES -- Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (using the
first-in, first-out cost flow assumption) or market.



     g.  PLANT AND EQUIPMENT -- Plant and equipment is recorded at cost less
accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation is computed by the
straight-line method over estimated lives ranging from two to eight years.
Leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of their respective
estimated useful lives or lease terms.



     h.  INTANGIBLE ASSETS -- Goodwill is being amortized over 15 years; a
technology license and non-competition agreement are being amortized over 10
years. The Company reviews its long-lived assets, including goodwill and other
identifiable intangibles for impairment whenever events or changes in
circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully
recoverable. A review for impairment includes comparing the carrying value of an
asset to an estimate of the undiscounted net future cash inflows over the life
of the asset. An asset is considered to be impaired when the carrying value
exceeds the calculation of the undiscounted net future cash inflows or fair
market value. An impairment loss is defined as the amount of the excess of the
carrying value over the fair market value of the asset.



     i.  SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT COSTS -- Software development costs are
capitalized in accordance with SFAS No. 86. Such costs are capitalized only to
the extent of costs of producing product masters subsequent to the establishment
of their technological feasibility and capitalization ends when the product is
available for general release to customers. Capitalized software development
costs are amortized over the estimated useful lives (generally five years) on a
straight-line basis or the ratio of current revenues to total expected revenues
in a product's expected life, if greater. Amortization begins in the period in
which the related product is available for general release to customers. The
Company reviews the unamortized capitalized costs of its underlying products to
the net realizable value of these products. An impairment loss is recorded in an
amount by which the unamortized capitalized costs of a computer software product
exceeds the net realizable value of that asset.


                                       F-9
<PAGE>   50

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)



     j.  RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COSTS -- The Company charges research and
development costs for Company-funded projects to operations as incurred.
Research and development costs which are reimbursable under customer-funded
contracts are treated as contract costs.



     k.  INCOME TAXES -- The Company accounts for income taxes under the
provisions of SFAS No. 109, "Accounting for Income Taxes," which requires
recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax
consequences of events that have been included in the Company's consolidated
financial statements or tax returns. Under this method, deferred tax assets and
liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial
accounting and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in
effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse.



     l.  FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION -- Assets and liabilities of the Company's
European subsidiaries are translated at the exchange rate in effect at the
balance sheet date. Income statement accounts are translated at the average
exchange rate for the year. The resulting translation adjustments are excluded
from operations and accumulated as a separate component of stockholders' equity.
Transaction gains (losses) are included in net income and totaled $106,000,
$(267,000) and $(52,000) in 1998, 1997 and 1996, respectively.



     m.  NET INCOME (LOSS) PER COMMON SHARE -- In 1998, the Company adopted
Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 128, Earnings Per Share (SFAS
128). Under SFAS 128, basic income (loss) per common share is computed using the
weighted average number of common shares outstanding during each year. Diluted
net income per common share reflects the effect of the Company's outstanding
options (using the treasury stock method), except where such options would be
anti-dilutive. Prior year's net income per share have been restated to conform
to SFAS 128.



     n.  FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS -- The following methods and
assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial
instruments:


     a)  Cash and Cash Equivalents -- The carrying amounts approximate fair
         value because of the short maturity of these instruments.

     b)  Receivables -- The carrying amount approximates fair value because of
         the short maturity of these instruments.

     c)  Debt -- The carrying amounts approximate fair value based on borrowing
         rates currently available to the Company for loans with similar terms.

     o.  USE OF ESTIMATES -- The preparation of financial statements in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to
make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and
liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of
the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses
during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

     The Company's most significant estimates relate to the deferred income tax
valuation allowance, allowance for doubtful accounts receivable, reserve for
excess and obsolete inventory, and warranty reserve.

                                      F-10
<PAGE>   51

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


     p.  RECLASSIFICATIONS -- Certain amounts in the 1996 and 1997 financial
statements have been reclassified to conform with the 1998 presentation.

     q.  RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS -- In June 1997, the Financial
Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued SFAS No. 130, "Reporting
Comprehensive Income", and SFAS No. 131, "Disclosure about Segments of an
Enterprise and Related Information", both of which will be effective for the
Company in fiscal year 1999. SFAS No. 130 establishes standards for the
reporting and display of comprehensive income and its components (revenues,
expenses, gains and losses) in a full set of general purpose financial
statements. SFAS No. 131 establishes standards for the way that public business
enterprises report selected information about operating segments. SFAS No. 131
also establishes standards for related disclosures about products and services,
geographic areas, and major customers. The implementation of SFAS Nos. 130 and
131 will require some additional disclosures in the Company's consolidated
financial statements for the year ended September 30, 1999.

     In February 1998, the FASB issued SFAS No. 132, "Employers' Disclosures
about Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits", which the Company is required
to implement no later than fiscal year 1999. SFAS No. 132 is an amendment to
SFAS Nos. 87, 88 and 106. The statement standardizes disclosure requirements for
pension and postretirement benefits to the extent practicable, requires
additional information on changes in the benefit obligations and fair values of
plan assets that will facilitate financial analysis and eliminates certain other
disclosures. The implementation of SFAS No. 132 is not expected to have a
material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

     In April 1998, the Accounting Standards Executive Committee issued
Statement of Position ("SOP") 98-5, "Reporting on the Costs of Start-Up
Activities", which the Company is required to implement no later than fiscal
year 2000. SOP 98-5 establishes standards that require start-up and organization
costs to be expensed as incurred. The implementation of SOP 98-5 is not expected
to have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

     In June 1998, the FASB issued SFAS No. 133, "Accounting for Derivative
Instruments and Hedging Activities", and is effective for the Company in the
first quarter of fiscal year 2000. SFAS No. 133 establishes accounting and
reporting standards for derivative instruments, including derivative instruments
embedded in other contracts, and for hedging activities. The Company believes
the adoption of SFAS No. 133 will not have a material effect on its consolidated
financial statements.

2.  ACQUISITIONS

     a.  VANGUARD AUTOMATION, INC.

     On December 9, 1997, the Company acquired the outstanding shares of
Vanguard Automation, Inc. ("Vanguard") for approximately 3,391,000 shares of the
Company's common stock, having a market value at the date of the merger of
approximately $45,776,000. Outstanding Vanguard stock options were converted
into stock options to purchase approximately 152,000 shares of the Company's
common stock. Outstanding Vanguard warrants were converted into warrants to
purchase approximately 182,000 shares of the Company's common stock. Vanguard
produces and markets automated manufac-

                                      F-11
<PAGE>   52

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


turing equipment used in the assembly of certain types of semiconductor
packaging processes, including ball grid array and chip scale packages. This
acquisition has been accounted for as a pooling of interests and, accordingly,
the consolidated financial statements have been restated to include the accounts
of Vanguard for all periods presented. Expenses of $623,000, relating primarily
to investment banking, legal and accounting fees, were incurred relating to this
merger and charged to expense in fiscal 1998.

     The accompanying September 30, 1996 consolidated financial statements
include Vanguard's amounts for the years ended December 31, 1996. The
accompanying consolidated financial statements for the year ended September 30,
1997 include the operations of Vanguard on a common fiscal year. Vanguard's net
loss for the period October 1, 1996 through December 31, 1996 of $2,444,000,
included twice in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations for the
fiscal years ended September 30, 1997 and 1996 as a result of conforming fiscal
years, has been included as an adjustment to consolidated accumulated deficit in
fiscal 1997.

     Detailed below is the effect on the Company's results of operations for
fiscal 1997 and fiscal 1996 as a result of the Company's acquisition of
Vanguard.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
(IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)    RVSI      VANGUARD    ELIMINATIONS    COMBINED
- ----------------------------------------  --------    --------    ------------    --------
<S>                                       <C>         <C>         <C>             <C>
1997
Revenues............................      $152,103    $18,218        $(979)       $169,342
Net income (loss)...................         8,245     (7,511)         (86)            648
Net income per share................          0.38                                    0.03
1996
Revenues............................      $143,540    $10,977        $(542)       $153,975
Net income (loss)...................         9,726     (8,851)         (40)            835
Net income per share................          0.45                                    0.04
</TABLE>

     b.  TRIGON

     On June 30, 1997, the Company acquired Trigon Technologies, Inc.
("Trigon"), a privately owned company located in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Trigon markets a line of 2-D machine vision products for the semiconductor
industry. The purchase price was $3,000,000 in cash plus contingent
consideration based upon the sales level of certain products sold by Trigon,
over a five-year period.

     This acquisition has been accounted for as a purchase and, accordingly, the
results of Trigon are included in the consolidated statements of operations of
the Company since the date of acquisition and the purchase price (including
acquisition costs) has been allocated to net assets acquired based upon their
fair values. Goodwill relating to the acquisition of $2,997,000 is being
amortized over 15 years. The historical results of operations of Trigon were not
material to the operations of the Company.

                                      F-12
<PAGE>   53

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


     c.  SYSTEMATION ENGINEERED PRODUCTS, INC.

     On October 1, 1996, the Company acquired the outstanding shares of
Systemation Engineered Products, Inc. ("SEP") for 1,740,000 shares of the
Company's common stock, having a market value at the date of the merger of
approximately $22,838,000. SEP designs manufactures, markets and sells
specialized high speed production machinery for the electronics component
industry. SEP's product lines include tape and reel packaging equipment and
automatic optical inspection systems. This acquisition has been accounted for as
a pooling of interests and, accordingly, the consolidated financial statements
have been restated to include the accounts of SEP for all periods presented. The
accompanying consolidated financial statements for the years ended September 30,
1998, 1997 and 1996 include the operations of SEP on a common fiscal year.
Expenses of $904,000 were incurred related to this merger.

     d.  COMPUTER IDENTICS CORPORATION

     On August 30, 1996, the Company acquired the outstanding shares of Computer
Identics Corporation ("CI") for approximately 2,127,000 shares of the Company's
common stock, having a market value at the date of the merger of approximately
$30,580,000. Outstanding CI stock options were converted into options to
purchase approximately 186,000 shares of the Company's common stock. Outstanding
CI warrants were converted into warrants to purchase approximately 39,000 shares
of the Company's common stock. CI designs, manufactures, markets and sells
standard barcode products, data collection networks and systems for data
collection and material handling/industrial markets. This acquisition has been
accounted for as a pooling of interests and accordingly, the consolidated
financial statements have been restated to include the accounts of CI for all
periods presented. Expenses of $1,547,000 were incurred related to this merger.

     e.  NORTHEAST ROBOTICS, INC.

     On May 30, 1996, the Company consummated a merger with Northeast Robotics,
Inc. ("NER"), a privately owned company located in New Boston, New Hampshire,
pursuant to which NER became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (the "NER
Merger"). NER markets a line of patented illumination products to perform
reliably in difficult imaging applications involving highly reflective or uneven
surfaces. As a consequence of the NER Merger, the Company issued approximately
139,000 shares of its common stock (which had a market value of approximately
$2,676,000 on the date the NER Merger was consummated) to the shareholders of
NER in exchange for all of the outstanding shares of NER common stock.

     This acquisition has been accounted for as a purchase and, accordingly, the
results of NER are included in the consolidated statements of operations of the
Company since the date of acquisition and the purchase price (including
acquisition costs) has been allocated to net assets acquired based upon their
fair values. Goodwill relating to the acquisition of $2,688,000 is being
amortized over 15 years. The historical results of operations of NER were not
material to the operations of the Company.

     f.  INTERNATIONAL DATA MATRIX, INC.

     On October 23, 1995, the Company acquired the outstanding shares of
International Data Matrix, Inc. ("IDM") for approximately 370,000 shares of the
Company's common

                                      F-13
<PAGE>   54

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


stock, having a market value at the date of the merger of approximately
$8,183,000. IDM was a manufacturer and supplier of two dimensional bar code
reading systems. This acquisition has been accounted for as a pooling of
interests and accordingly, the consolidated financial statements have been
restated to include the accounts of IDM for all periods presented. Expenses of
$445,000 were incurred related to this merger.

3.  ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

     Accounts receivable at September 30, 1998 and 1997 consisted of the
following:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              1998       1997
                                             -------    -------
                                               (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                          <C>        <C>
Billed accounts receivable.................  $30,923    $47,638
Unbilled accounts receivable...............    2,444      5,641
                                             -------    -------
Total......................................   33,367     53,279
Less allowance for doubtful accounts
  receivable...............................   (1,000)    (2,716)
                                             -------    -------
Accounts receivables, net..................  $32,367    $50,563
                                             =======    =======
</TABLE>

     Unbilled receivables primarily relate to sales recorded on standard
products which have been shipped, but have not yet been finally accepted by the
customer. The Company has no significant remaining obligations relating to these
unbilled receivables and collectibility is probable. The Company believes that
all of its unbilled receivables at September 30, 1998 will be billed and
collected during the next twelve months.

4.  INVENTORIES

     Inventories at September 30, 1998 and 1997 consisted of the following:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              1998       1997
                                             -------    -------
                                               (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                          <C>        <C>
Raw materials..............................  $17,124    $20,638
Work in process............................   10,429     13,158
Finished goods.............................    8,660      5,299
                                             -------    -------
          Total............................  $36,213    $39,095
                                             =======    =======
</TABLE>


     INVENTORY PROVISIONS -- During the third and fourth quarters of fiscal
1998, the Company took provisions of $4.5 million and $12.1 million,
respectively, primarily for excess and obsolete inventories related principally
to its semiconductor inspection and handling equipment. These provisions largely
reflected reduced demand of older generation products as a result of the severe
semiconductor industry downturn. The Company believes that the inventory
provisions taken in fiscal 1998 have reduced the carrying value of inventories
to their appropriate net realizable value. These amounts have been recorded as
"inventory provisions" as part of the presentation of cost of sales in the
accompanying consolidated financial statements.


                                      F-14
<PAGE>   55

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


5.  INCOME TAXES

     The components of income (loss) before income tax provision (benefit), for
the fiscal years ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996 are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            1998       1997       1996
                                          --------    -------    -------
                                                  (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                       <C>         <C>        <C>
Domestic................................  $(36,758)   $ 2,114    $  (118)
Foreign.................................    (3,747)      (721)   $  (201)
                                          --------    -------    -------
          Total.........................  $(40,505)   $ 1,393    $  (319)
                                          ========    =======    =======
</TABLE>

     The income tax provision (benefit) for the fiscal years ended September 30,
1998, 1997 and 1996 consisted of the following:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            1998       1997       1996
                                          --------    -------    -------
                                                  (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                       <C>         <C>        <C>
Current:
  Federal...............................  $     --    $   737    $ 4,279
  State.................................        --        110      1,024
  Foreign...............................        --         (9)        38
  Utilization of net operating loss
     carryforwards......................        --         --     (3,614)
                                          --------    -------    -------
                                                --        838      1,727
                                          --------    -------    -------
Deferred:
  Federal...............................   (18,044)     1,187     (3,802)
  State.................................    (2,140)       246       (465)
  Change in valuation allowance.........    20,184     (1,526)     1,386
                                          --------    -------    -------
                                                --        (93)    (2,881)
                                          --------    -------    -------
          Total.........................  $     --    $   745    $(1,154)
                                          ========    =======    =======
</TABLE>

     The income tax benefits related to the exercise of stock options reduces
taxes currently payable or increases net deferred tax assets, and is credited to
additional paid-in capital.

                                      F-15
<PAGE>   56

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


     A reconciliation between the statutory U.S. Federal income tax rate and the
Company's effective tax rate for the fiscal years ended September 30, 1998, 1997
and 1996 is as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               1998     1997      1996
                                               -----    -----    -------
<S>                                            <C>      <C>      <C>
U.S. Federal statutory rate..................  (34.0)%   34.0%     (34.0)%
Increases (reductions) due to:
  State taxes -- net of Federal tax
     benefit.................................   (4.0)    13.7      223.5
  Utilization of net operating loss
     carryforwards...........................     --       --    1,132.9
  Anticipated future utilization of net
     operating loss carryforwards............     --    (88.9)    (457.1)
  Net operating loss not producing current
     tax benefits............................   34.6    203.5      985.3
  Exempt income of foreign sales
     corporation.............................           (55.1)      (6.9)
  Worthless stock deduction relating to
     liquidation of foreign subsidiaries.....           (55.1)
  Other -- net...............................    3.4      1.4       60.3
                                               -----    -----    -------
          Total..............................    0.0%    53.5%    (361.8)%
                                               =====    =====    =======
</TABLE>

     The net deferred tax asset at September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996 is
comprised of the following:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                          1998        1997        1996
                                        --------    --------    --------
DEFERRED TAX ASSETS (LIABILITIES):               (IN THOUSANDS)
- ----------------------------------      --------------------------------
<S>                                     <C>         <C>         <C>
Net operating loss carryforwards......  $ 27,257    $ 17,021    $ 16,941
Tax credit carryforwards..............     2,315       2,655       2,853
Accrued liabilities...................     2,754       2,277       1,881
Inventories...........................     6,899       2,427       2,712
Receivables...........................       418       1,078         486
Property and equipment................       361        (129)       (367)
Merger expenses.......................       329         271         706
Software development costs............    (3,538)     (2,043)       (543)
Other.................................         4         176         (75)
                                        --------    --------    --------
                                          36,799      23,733      24,594
  Less valuation allowance............   (27,979)    (14,913)    (16,439)
                                        --------    --------    --------
          Total.......................  $  8,820    $  8,820    $  8,155
                                        ========    ========    ========
</TABLE>

     As of September 30, 1998, the Company had U.S. Federal net operating loss
carryforwards of approximately $72,527 of which $30,420 are subject to annual
limitations because of the changes in ownership, as defined in the Internal
Revenue Code. Such loss carryforwards expire in the fiscal years 1999 through
2013. The utilization of the

                                      F-16
<PAGE>   57

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


carryforwards to offset future tax liabilities is dependent upon the Company's
ability to generate sufficient taxable income during the carryforward periods.
The Company has recorded a valuation allowance to reduce the net deferred tax
asset to an amount that management believes is more likely than not to be
realized. The change in the valuation allowance in fiscal 1998 relates primarily
to the fiscal 1998 operating loss.

6.  PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

     Plant and equipment at September 30, 1998 and 1997 consisted of the
following:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                             1998        1997
                                           --------    --------
                                              (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                        <C>         <C>
Land.....................................  $    490    $    490
Machinery and equipment..................    10,475       7,711
Furniture, fixtures and other
  equipment..............................    13,163      10,068
Demonstration equipment..................     7,531       7,334
Leasehold improvements...................     2,492       1,940
                                           --------    --------
          Total..........................    34,151      27,543
Less accumulated depreciation and
  amortization...........................   (16,560)    (13,036)
                                           --------    --------
  Plant and equipment -- net.............  $ 17,591    $ 14,507
                                           ========    ========
</TABLE>

7.  OTHER ASSETS

     Other assets at September 30, 1998 and 1997 consisted of the following:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               1998       1997
                                              -------    ------
                                               (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                           <C>        <C>
Software development costs, net of
  accumulated amortization of $3,492 and
  $2,251,
  respectively..............................  $11,812    $7,233
License and non-competition agreement, net
  of amortization of $94....................    3,656        --
Other.......................................    1,618     1,435
                                              -------    ------
          Total.............................  $17,086    $8,668
                                              =======    ======
</TABLE>

     Certain software development costs totaling $7,397, $4,842 and $2,630 have
been capitalized during the fiscal years ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996
respectively. Amortization expense relating to software development costs for
the fiscal years ended September 30, 1998, 1997, and 1996 was $2,072, $962 and
$551, respectively.

                                      F-17
<PAGE>   58

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)

8.  ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER CURRENT LIABILITIES

          Accrued expenses and other current liabilities at September 30, 1998
     and 1997 consisted of the following:


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                              1998       1997
                                             -------    -------
                                               (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                          <C>        <C>
Accrued wages and related employee
  benefits.................................  $ 5,948    $ 5,198
Accrued sales commissions..................    5,468      4,028
Accrued warranty and other product related
  costs....................................    2,826      2,666
Accrued severance and other charges........    2,099         --
Other......................................    4,732      7,731
                                             -------    -------
          Total............................  $21,073    $19,623
                                             =======    =======
</TABLE>



     Severance and other charges -- During fiscal 1998, the Company took
multiple steps to reduce its expenses and to lower the level of revenues
necessary for break-even results of operations. These steps include a 10%
workforce reduction in April 1998, a 15% workforce reduction in June 1998 and an
additional 16% workforce reduction in September 1998, as well as curtailing
discretionary spending and capital expenditures. In June 1998, the Company
combined its Acuity 2-D machine vision operations with its CiMatrix 1-D and 2-D
barcode reading and data collection operations.



     Primarily as a result of these steps, the Company took a total of $6.6
million in charges in fiscal 1998. $3.8 million was recorded for severance
payments to approximately 400 terminated employees (all of whom were terminated
prior to September 30, 1998). The terminated employees represented all functions
across all operating divisions of the Company. Of the $3.8 million,
approximately $2.4 million was paid in cash to employees prior to September 30,
1998. $1.5 million was recorded for costs associated with changing distributors
in Asia. The charge was recorded in the quarter ended March 31, 1998. Of this
charge, $1.0 million represents the write-off of the Company's investment in its
bankrupt Korean distributor. The Company terminated its business relationship
with the distributor after such distributor could no longer meet its commitment
to service the Company's existing installed base of customers in Korea nor meet
the Company's sales goals. The remaining charge represents termination of the
distributor of the Company's product in Japan. The terms of an agreement to end
the Company's business relationship with the Japanese distributor were reached
at the end of the Company's second fiscal quarter. Under this agreement, the
Company was to repurchase from the distributor certain demonstration equipment
used in selling the Company's product and settle outstanding commitments of the
distributor. The approximately $0.5 million charge represents the Company's
liability under the agreement, net of the realizable value of assets recovered
from the Japanese distributor.



     The charges also included a $1.1 million non-cash write-down of previously
capitalized software costs associated with currently inactive products and $0.2
million in costs associated with the consolidation of Acuity and CiMatrix
operations.


                                      F-18
<PAGE>   59

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


     The components of the non-recurring charges, related fiscal 1998
expenditures and remaining liability at September 30, 1998 are detailed below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        COSTS    EXPENDITURES   LIABILITY
                                        ------   ------------   ---------
                                                 (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                     <C>      <C>            <C>
Severance payments to employees.......  $3,787      $2,403       $1,384
Write-off of software development
  costs...............................   1,113       1,113           --
Costs for changes in Asia
  distributors........................   1,500       1,000          500
Costs to consolidate Acuity CiMatrix
  operations..........................     215          --          215
                                        ------      ------       ------
          Total.......................  $6,615      $4,516       $2,099
                                        ======      ======       ======
</TABLE>


          The Company expects that the balance at September 30, 1998 will be
     paid in cash during fiscal 1999.


9.  NOTES PAYABLE AND LONG-TERM DEBT

     Notes payable and long-term debt at September 30, 1998 and 1997 consisted
of the following:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                             1998        1997
                                            -------    --------
                                              (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                         <C>        <C>
Lines of credit with domestic banks(a)....  $37,500    $  6,589
Term loan with domestic bank(a)...........       --       7,600
Subordinated note payable(b)..............    2,250          --
Note payable(c)...........................       --       2,000
Other borrowings..........................    1,347         848
                                            -------    --------
          Total notes payable and
             long-term debt...............   41,097      17,037
Less notes payable and current portion of
  long-term debt..........................  (38,038)    (10,623)
                                            -------    --------
Long-term debt............................  $ 3,059    $  6,414
                                            =======    ========
</TABLE>

- -------------------------

a. In March 1998, the Company entered into a new $37,500 revolving credit
   agreement with three domestic banks, which replaced $19,500 in existing lines
   of credit and $6,900 outstanding under a term loan. The new agreement has a
   two-year term and bears interest at either the prime rate or LIBOR. At
   September 30, 1998, the interest rate was the prime rate of 8.25%. Borrowings
   are collateralized by substantially all of the domestic tangible and
   intangible assets of the Company. The agreement, among other things, contains
   certain financial covenants, including minimum levels of profitability,
   liquidity and net worth, with which the Company has not been in compliance.
   The banks have waived all instances of noncompliance through January 29,
   1999; however, absent continuation of the waivers, the Company will be in
   noncompliance at the

                                      F-19
<PAGE>   60

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


   expiration of the waiver period. Accordingly, borrowings under the agreement
   at September 30, 1998, have been classified as current. The Company is
   working with its banks to modify the revolving credit agreement.

b. The subordinated note payable to General Scanning matures in June 2003, bears
   interest at prime (8.25% at September 30, 1998) and is payable in equal
   quarterly installments of $281 commencing September 12, 2001.

c. The note payable for $2,000 was with a related party supplier of Vanguard,
   with interest at prime. This note was repaid in June 1998.


10.  EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS


     DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN -- The Company has a noncontributory pension plan for
employees who meet certain minimum eligibility requirements. The level of
retirement benefit is based on a formula which considers both employee
compensation and length of credited service.

     Plan assets are invested in pooled bank investment accounts, and the fair
value of such assets is based on the quoted market prices of underlying
securities in such accounts. The Company funds pension plan costs based on
minimum and maximum funding criteria as determined by independent actuarial
consultants.

     The components of net pension cost for the fiscal years ended September 30,
1998, 1997 and 1996 are summarized as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                1998     1997     1996
                                                -----    -----    ----
                                                    (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                             <C>      <C>      <C>
Service cost -- benefits earned during the
  period......................................  $ 286    $ 272    $219
Interest on projected benefit obligations.....    164      135      97
Estimated return on plan assets...............   (167)    (117)    (81)
Other -- amortizaiton of actuarial gains and
  net transition asset........................    (12)     (15)    (23)
                                                -----    -----    ----
  Net pension cost............................  $ 271    $ 275    $212
                                                =====    =====    ====
</TABLE>

                                      F-20
<PAGE>   61

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


     The funded status of the plan compared with the accrued expense included in
the Company's consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 1998 and 1997 is as
follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        1998      1997
                                                       ------    ------
                                                        (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                    <C>       <C>
Fair value of plan assets............................  $2,254    $1,664
                                                       ------    ------
Actuarial present value of benefit obligation:
  Accumulated benefit obligation including vested
     benefits of $1,753 and $1,329 in 1998 and 1997
     respectively....................................   2,049     1,647
  Effect of projected compensation increases.........     570       554
                                                       ------    ------
  Projected benefit obligation for services rendered
     to date.........................................   2,619     2,201
                                                       ------    ------
  Projected benefit obligation in excess of plan
     assets..........................................    (365)     (537)
  Unrecognized net loss..............................     162       358
  Remaining unrecognized net transition asset being
     amortized over 11 years.........................      --       (14)
  Unrecognized prior service costs...................      14        23
                                                       ------    ------
       Accrued pension costs included in accrued
          expenses...................................  $ (189)   $ (170)
                                                       ======    ======
</TABLE>

     Significant assumptions used in determining net periodic pension cost and
related pension obligations are as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                           1998    1997
                                                           ----    ----
<S>                                                        <C>     <C>
Discount rate............................................  7.25%   7.50%
Rate of compenstation increase...........................  4.00%   4.00%
Expected long-term rate of return on assets..............  8.25%   8.25%
</TABLE>

     DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLANS (IN THOUSANDS) -- The Company has four defined
contribution plans (the "Plans") for all eligible employees, as defined by the
Plans. The Company made matching employer contributions at various percentages
in accordance with the respective plan documents. The Company incurred $747,
$604 and $338 for matching employer contributions to the Plans in 1998, 1997 and
1996, respectively.

                                      F-21
<PAGE>   62

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


11.  COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

     OPERATING LEASES -- The Company has entered into operating lease agreements
for equipment, and manufacturing and office facilities. The minimum
noncancelable scheduled rentals under these agreements are as follows (in
thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30:         FACILITIES    EQUIPMENT     TOTAL
- --------------------------------         ----------    ---------    -------
<S>                                      <C>           <C>          <C>
1999...................................   $ 2,813        $187       $ 3,000
2000...................................     2,696         111         2,807
2001...................................     1,767          32         1,799
2002...................................     1,375          --         1,375
2003...................................     1,210          --         1,210
Thereafter.............................     7,140          --         7,140
                                          -------        ----       -------
Total..................................   $17,001        $330       $17,331
                                          =======        ====       =======
</TABLE>

     Rent expense for the fiscal years ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996
was $3,305, $3,015 and $2,283, respectively.

     On January 6, 1997, the lessor of SEP's manufacturing facility assigned the
lease to the former majority shareholder of SEP, in conjunction with the sale of
this facility to the former majority shareholder. In addition, the lease was
amended to include certain capital equipment owned by the former majority
shareholder. SEP began leasing this facility during fiscal 1996. The base annual
rental payable under the lease is $605. The lease expires in October 2011.

     LITIGATION -- The Company, as plaintiff, was a party to an action initiated
by the Company in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of
New York against defendant Cybo Systems, Inc. ("Cybo"), entitled Robotic Vision
Systems, Inc. v. Cybo Systems, Inc. a/k/a Cybot Systems, Inc., alleging certain
contractual breaches by Cybo arising from the Company's sale to Cybo of the
Company's welding and cutting systems business. In October 1998, this action,
including all of Cybo's remaining counterclaims against the Company, was
dismissed with prejudice by mutual agreement of the Company and Cybo and without
any payment by either party to the other, following a partial summary judgment
ruling by the Court that had dismissed substantially all of Cybo's counterclaims
against the Company.

     In June 1998, RVSI and General Scanning executed a settlement agreement of
RVSI's claims arising out of General Scanning's acquisition of View Engineering,
Inc. in August 1996, RVSI claimed that General Scanning used improperly obtained
information in connection with the acquisition. General Scanning denied all such
claims. Under the settlement agreement, General Scanning has agreed not to
compete for ten years in the inspection of interconnect leads of semiconductor
packages. Under the settlement, General Scanning licensed to RVSI its 2-D and
3-D vision technology solely and exclusively for RVSI's use in the
interconnection leads. In consideration for the technology license and
non-competition agreement, RVSI agreed to pay General Scanning $3.75 million, of
which $1.50 million represents 271,493 shares of the Company's common stock and
$2.25 million in a subordinated note payable with a maturity date of five years.

                                      F-22
<PAGE>   63

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)

     The Company, as plaintiff, was a party to two actions in the United States
District Court for the Central District of California against View Engineering,
Inc. ("View"), a wholly owned subsidiary of General Scanning, Inc. ("GSI"),
alleging infringement by View of a number of the Company's patents relating to
View's assembly and distribution of View's own 3-D machine vision products. In
June 1998, the Court, in the first of these actions, involving the coplanarity
inspection of ball grid array semiconductor package substrates, found
infringement by View and granted the Company's request for injunctive relief
against View. This ruling has been appealed by View to the United States Appeals
Court for the Federal Circuit. The second of these actions, involving the
"in-tray" inspection of semiconductor packages is presently expected to come to
trial in the spring of 1999.

     The Company is also presently involved in other litigation matters in the
normal course of business. Based upon discussion with Company's legal counsel,
management does not expect that these matters will have a material adverse
impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

12.  STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

     WARRANTS OUTSTANDING -- As of September 30, 1998, there were warrants
outstanding to purchase approximately 376,000 shares of the Company's common
stock with exercise prices ranging between $2.57 and $25.00 per share.

     STOCK OPTION PLANS -- The Company has several stock option plans which
provide for the granting of options to employees or directors at prices and
terms as determined by the Board of Directors' Stock Option Committee. Such
options vest over a period of three to five years. All options issued by the
Company to date have exercise prices which were equal to market value of the
Company's common stock at the date of grant.


     Shares granted and canceled during fiscal 1998 include a stock option
re-pricing offered by the Company to existing stock option holders of
unexercised options of each of the Company's stock option plans, excluding
members of the Board of Directors and certain corporate officers. Options
granted prior to June 26, 1998 were eligible for replacement under the terms of
the stock option re-pricing. At their election, stock option holders could
surrender their unexercised stock options for a proportionately lower amount of
stock options, based on a formula, at an exercise price of $4.13 per share, the
fair value of the Company's common stock on June 26, 1998. A total of
approximately 2,169,000 options, with exercise prices ranging from $5.19 per
share to $19.50 per share, were canceled, and approximately 1,446,000 options
were reissued at an exercise price of $4.13 per share. Reissued stock options
vest 40% on the six-month anniversary of the replacement date and 60% on the
date specified in the original option grant. The expiration date of these
reissued options are as specified in the original option grant. The options were
priced in excess of market value on the measurement date and accordingly, no
compensation was recognized.


     Shares granted and canceled during 1997 include a stock option re-pricing
offered by the Company to existing stock option holders of unexercised options
of each of the Company's stock option plans. All options that were granted prior
to July 9, 1997 were eligible for replacement. In their election, stock option
holders could surrender their

                                      F-23
<PAGE>   64

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)

unexercised stock options for a proportionately lower amount of stock options,
based upon a formula, at an exercise of $14.13, the fair value of the Company's
common stock on July 22, 1997. A total of approximately 1,196,000 options with
exercise prices ranging from $14.52 to $26.75 were canceled, and approximately
930,000 options were reissued at an exercise price of $14.13 per share. Reissued
options vest 20 percent on the six-month anniversary of the replacement date; 20
percent on the one-year anniversary of the replacement date; and 20 percent
annually thereafter until fully vested. The options expire on July 22, 2002. For
directors and officers of the Company, the options will not become exercisable
until the earlier of seven years from the replacement date or until the market
value of the Company's common stock reaches the exercise price of the originally
replaced option.

     The following table sets forth summarized information concerning the
Company's stock options:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                        NUMBER OF      EXERCISE
                                         SHARES      PRICE RANGE
                                        ---------    ------------
                                             (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                     <C>          <C>
Options outstanding for shares of
  common stock at October 1, 1995.....    1,841      $0.53-$38.72
  Granted.............................    1,843       7.71- 26.75
  Canceled or expired.................     (225)      1.00- 22.50
  Exercised...........................     (498)      0.53- 17.43
                                         ------
Options outstanding for shares of
  common stock at September 30,
  1996................................    2,961       0.53- 38.72
  Granted.............................    2,660       7.71- 19.00
  Canceled or expired.................   (1,636)      0.81- 38.72
  Exercised...........................     (293)      0.53- 15.34
                                         ------
Options outstanding for shares of
  common stock at September 30,
  1997................................    3,692       0.75- 34.42
  Granted.............................    2,943       3.19- 16.94
  Canceled or expired.................   (2,926)      2.20- 34.42
  Exercised...........................     (138)      0.75- 10.00
                                         ------
Options outstanding for shares of
  common stock at September 30,
  1998................................    3,571       1.00- 19.38
                                         ======
Shares reserved for issuance at
  September 30, 1998..................    1,607
                                         ======
</TABLE>

                                      F-24
<PAGE>   65

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)

     Weighted average option exercise price information for the fiscal years
ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996 was as follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               1998      1997      1996
                                              ------    ------    ------
<S>                                           <C>       <C>       <C>
Outstanding at beginning of year............  $11.08    $12.14    $ 4.27
Granted during the year.....................    6.68     12.86     17.94
Exercised during the year...................    2.36      4.14      2.09
Canceled, terminated and expired............   11.88     16.51     16.06
Exercisable at year end.....................    7.12      5.86      4.52
</TABLE>

     The Company applies Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 25, "Accounting
For Stock Issued To Employees", and related interpretations in accounting for
its option plans. Accordingly, as all options have been granted at exercise
prices equal to fair market value on the date of grant, no compensation expense
has been recognized by the Company in connection with its stock-based
compensation plans. Had compensation cost for the Company's stock option plans
been determined based upon the fair value at the grant date for awards under
these plans consistent with the methodology prescribed under Statement of
Financial Accounting Standards No. 123, "Accounting For Stock-Based
Compensation", the Company's net income (loss) and earnings per share would have
been reduced (increased) by approximately $(5,961,000), $5,032,000 and
$2,420,000 or $(0.24), $0.21 and $0.11 per share in fiscal 1998, 1997 and 1996,
respectively. The weighted average fair value of the options granted during
fiscal 1998, 1997 and 1996 is estimated at $3.99, $7.44 and $9.76 on the date of
grant (using Black-Scholes option pricing model) with the following weighted
average assumptions for fiscal 1998, 1997 and 1996, respectively: volatility of
70%, 64% and 56%, risk-free interest rate of 4.30%, 5.83% and 5.81%, and an
expected life of five years in fiscal 1998, 1997 and 1996.

13.  SELECTED QUARTERLY FINANCIAL DATA (UNAUDITED)

            FOR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1998 AND 1997:
                    (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         1998
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                       FIRST     SECOND      THIRD       FOURTH
                                      QUARTER    QUARTER    QUARTER     QUARTER
                                      -------    -------    --------    --------
<S>                                   <C>        <C>        <C>         <C>
Revenues............................  $53,788    $47,727    $ 39,090    $ 28,402
Gross profit........................   26,043     21,041      10,919      (2,001)
Net income (loss)...................    3,543     (5,672)    (15,433)    (22,943)
Net income (loss) per share:
  Basic and diluted.................     0.14      (0.23)      (0.63)      (0.92)
</TABLE>

                                      F-25
<PAGE>   66

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         1997
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                       FIRST     SECOND      THIRD       FOURTH
                                      QUARTER    QUARTER    QUARTER     QUARTER
                                      -------    -------    --------    --------
<S>                                   <C>        <C>        <C>         <C>
Revenues............................  $38,734    $35,755    $ 41,789    $ 53,064
Gross profit........................   17,357     15,192      19,681      23,265
Net income (loss)...................     (294)      (767)       (762)      2,471
Net income (loss) per share:
  Basic and diluted.................    (0.01)     (0.03)      (0.03)        0.1
</TABLE>

     During fiscal 1998, the Company took inventory provisions of $4,500 in the
third quarter and $12,062 in the fourth quarter, which reduced gross profit. The
Company also had non-recurring charges of $3,184 in the second quarter, $2,420
in the third quarter and $1,011 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 1998.

14.  MAJOR CUSTOMERS AND CREDIT CONCENTRATIONS

     During fiscal 1998, 1997 and 1996, revenues from a single customer
represented 20%, 23% and 13% of total revenues, respectively. No other customer
accounted for more than 10% of total revenues for fiscal 1998, 1997 and 1996.

15.  GEOGRAPHIC OPERATIONS

     For the purposes of segment reporting, management considers the Company to
operate in one industry, the machine vision industry. Operations in this
business segment by geographic area are summarized as follows (in thousands):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       UNITED
FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1998   STATES    EUROPE    ELIMINATIONS   CONSOLIDATED
- ------------------------------------  --------   -------   ------------   ------------
<S>                                   <C>        <C>       <C>            <C>
Revenues from unaffiliated
  customers........................   $154,451   $14,556          --        $169,007
Transfers between geographic
  areas............................      4,852        --     $(4,852)             --
                                      --------   -------     -------        --------
Total revenues.....................   $159,303   $14,556     $(4,852)       $169,007
                                      ========   =======     =======        ========
Income (loss) before income tax
  provision (benefit)..............   $(36,529)  $(3,747)    $  (229)       $(40,505)
                                      ========   =======     =======        ========
Identifiable assets................   $123,312   $ 7,979     $(9,720)       $121,571
                                      ========   =======     =======        ========
</TABLE>

                                      F-26
<PAGE>   67

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       UNITED
FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1997   STATES    EUROPE    ELIMINATIONS   CONSOLIDATED
- ------------------------------------  --------   -------   ------------   ------------
<S>                                   <C>        <C>       <C>            <C>
Revenues from unaffiliated
  customers........................   $152,530   $16,812     $    --        $169,342
Transfers between geographic
  areas............................      4,611        --      (4,611)             --
                                      --------   -------     -------        --------
Total revenues.....................   $157,141   $16,812     $(4,611)       $169,342
                                      ========   =======     =======        ========
Income (loss) before income tax
  provision........................   $  2,120   $  (721)    $    (6)       $  1,393
                                      ========   =======     =======        ========
Identifiable assets on September 30,
  1997.............................   $136,448   $ 8,451     $(4,976)       $139,923
                                      ========   =======     =======        ========
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       UNITED
FISCAL YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1996   STATES    EUROPE    ELIMINATIONS   CONSOLIDATED
- ------------------------------------  --------   -------   ------------   ------------
<S>                                   <C>        <C>       <C>            <C>
Revenues from unaffiliated
  customers........................   $137,749   $16,226     $    --        $153,975
Transfers between geographic
  areas............................      4,128       240      (4,368)             --
                                      --------   -------     -------        --------
Total revenues.....................   $141,877   $16,466     $(4,368)       $153,975
                                      ========   =======     =======        ========
Income (loss) before income tax
  provision........................   $   (187)  $  (201)    $    69        $   (319)
                                      ========   =======     =======        ========
Identifiable assets on September 30,
  1996.............................   $108,529   $ 7,085     $(8,143)       $107,471
                                      ========   =======     =======        ========
</TABLE>

     Total revenues to customers outside the U.S. were $108,711, $115,854 and
$97,483 for the fiscal years ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996,
respectively.


     Export sales from the Company's United States operations to unaffiliated
customers, which are generally denominated in U.S. dollars, for the fiscal years
ended September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996 were as follows:


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            1998       1997       1996
                                           -------    -------    -------
<S>                                        <C>        <C>        <C>
Europe...................................  $ 7,501    $16,413    $ 9,160
Asia/Pacific Rim.........................   84,606     80,714     70,924
Other....................................    2,048      1,915      1,173
                                           -------    -------    -------
Total....................................  $94,155    $99,042    $81,257
                                           =======    =======    =======
</TABLE>

                                      F-27
<PAGE>   68

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



           NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


16.  EARNINGS PER SHARE

     The calculations for earnings per share for the fiscal years ended
September 30, 1998, 1997 and 1996 are as follows (in thousands, except per share
amounts):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                            1998       1997       1996
                                          --------    -------    -------
<S>                                       <C>         <C>        <C>
Net income (loss).......................  $(40,505)   $   648    $   835
                                          ========    =======    =======
Weighted average number of common
  shares -- basic.......................    24,613     23,718     22,092
Assumed number of shares issued from
  common share equivalents..............        --        249      1,293
                                          --------    -------    -------
Weighted average number of common and
  common equivalent shares -- diluted...    24,613     23,967     23,385
                                          ========    =======    =======
Net income (loss) per share -- basic....  $  (1.65)   $  0.03    $  0.04
                                          ========    =======    =======
Net income (loss) per share --diluted...  $  (1.65)   $  0.03    $  0.04
                                          ========    =======    =======
</TABLE>

17.  EQUITY FINANCING -- SUBSEQUENT EVENT (UNAUDITED)

     In February 1999, the Company completed an equity-based financing with a
group of institutional investors. Net proceeds from the financing were $10.0
million. The financing was in the form of prepaid and incentive common stock
purchase warrants. Proceeds from the financing are to be used for working
capital requirements.

                                      F-28
<PAGE>   69


         SCHEDULE II -- VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS AND RESERVES

                                 (IN THOUSANDS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       COLUMN C
                                                      -----------
                             COLUMN A     COLUMN B     ADDITION                     COLUMN E
                            ----------   ----------   CHARGED TO      COLUMN D      ---------
                            BALANCE AT   CHARGED TO      OTHER      -------------    BALANCE
                            BEGINNING     COST AND    ACCOUNTS --   DEDUCTIONS --   AT END OF
DESCRIPTIONS                OF PERIOD     EXPENSES     DESCRIBE       DESCRIBE       PERIOD
- ------------                ----------   ----------   -----------   -------------   ---------
<S>                         <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>             <C>
Year Ended September 30,
  1998:
  Allowance for doubtful
     accounts.............    $2,716      $   329         $--          $2,045(2)     $ 1,000
                              ======      =======         ===          ======        =======
  Reserve for excess and
     obsolete inventory...    $3,836      $16,562         $--          $5,657(2)     $14,741
                              ======      =======         ===          ======        =======
Year Ended September 30,
  1997:
  Allowance for doubtful
     accounts.............    $1,400      $ 1,924         $--          $  608(2)     $ 2,716
                              ------      -------         ---          ------        -------
  Reserve for excess and
     obsolete inventory...    $3,960      $ 1,435         $--          $1,559(2)     $ 3,836
                              ------      -------         ---          ------        -------
Year Ended September 30,
  1996:
  Allowance for doubtful
     accounts.............    $  544      $   957         $ 6(1)       $  107(2)     $ 1,400
                              ------      -------         ---          ------        -------
  Reserve for excess and
     obsolete inventory...    $1,057      $ 3,052         $--          $  149(2)     $ 3,960
                              ------      -------         ---          ------        -------
</TABLE>

- -------------------------

(1) Recoveries of accounts written off.

(2) Amounts written off.

                                      F-29
<PAGE>   70


                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



                     CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS


                                  (UNAUDITED)



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     MARCH 31,    SEPTEMBER 30,
                                                       1999           1998
                                                     ---------    -------------
                                                       (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT
                                                          PER SHARE DATA)
<S>                                                  <C>          <C>
Assets:
  Current assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents........................  $  2,779       $  2,421
  Accounts receivable, net.........................    32,611         32,367
  Inventories......................................    31,464         36,213
  Other current assets.............................     1,367          1,226
                                                     --------       --------
          Total current assets.....................    68,221         72,227
  Plant and equipment, net.........................    14,084         17,591
  Deferred income taxes............................     8,820          8,820
  Goodwill.........................................     5,538          5,847
  Software development costs, net..................    13,303         11,812
  Other assets.....................................     5,193          5,274
                                                     --------       --------
          Total assets.............................  $115,159       $121,571
                                                     ========       ========
Liabilities, prepaid warrants and stockholders'
  equity current liabilities:
     Notes payable and current portion of long-term
       debt........................................  $ 35,894       $ 38,038
     Accounts payable..............................    18,675         21,388
     Accrued expenses..............................    17,534         22,289
                                                     --------       --------
          Total current liabilities................    72,103         81,715
  Long-term debt...................................     2,945          3,059
                                                     --------       --------
          Total liabilities........................    75,048         84,774
  Prepaid warrants.................................     8,643             --
  Stockholders' equity:
     Common stock, authorized 50,000 shares, $0.01
       par
       value; issued and outstanding 24,902 at
       March 31, 1999 and 24,870 at September 30,
       1998........................................       249            249
     Additional paid-in capital....................   169,625        168,493
     Accumulated deficit...........................  (138,423)      (131,962)
  Cumulative translation adjustment................        17             17
                                                     --------       --------
          Total stockholders' equity...............    31,468         36,797
                                                     --------       --------
          Total liabilities, prepaid warrants and
             stockholders' equity..................  $115,159       $121,571
                                                     ========       ========
</TABLE>



See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements


                                      F-30
<PAGE>   71


                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



                  CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED RESULTS OF OPERATIONS



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                           THREE MONTHS ENDED       SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                          ---------------------   ---------------------
                                          MARCH 31,   MARCH 31,   MARCH 31,   MARCH 31,
                                            1999        1998        1999        1998
                                          ---------   ---------   ---------   ---------
                                                           (UNAUDITED)
                                            (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE AMOUNTS)
<S>                                       <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>
Revenues................................   $27,294     $47,727     $56,699    $101,515
Cost of revenues........................    15,433      26,686      32,267      54,431
                                           -------     -------     -------    --------
  Gross profit..........................    11,861      21,041      24,432      47,084
Research and development expenses.......     4,882       7,390      10,472      14,019
Selling, general and administrative
  expenses..............................    10,654      15,657      21,870      30,551
Merger expenses.........................        --          --          --         623
Severance and other charges.............        --       3,184          --       3,184
                                           -------     -------     -------    --------
  Loss from operations..................    (3,675)     (5,190)     (7,910)     (1,293)
Gain on sale of product line............      (250)         --      (3,048)         --
Interest expense, net...................       687         482       1,522         728
                                           -------     -------     -------    --------
  Loss before provision for income
     taxes..............................    (4,112)     (5,672)     (6,384)     (2.021)
Provision for income taxes..............        --          --          --         108
                                           -------     -------     -------    --------
  Net loss..............................    (4,112)     (5,672)     (6,384)     (2,129)
Premium on prepaid warrant..............        77                      77
                                           -------     -------     -------    --------
  Net loss attributable to common
     shareholders.......................   $(4,189)    $(5,672)    $(6,461)   $ (2,129)
                                           =======     =======     =======    ========
Net loss per common share:
  Basic.................................   $ (0.17)    $ (0.23)    $ (0.26)   $  (0.09)
  Diluted...............................   $ (0.17)    $ (0.23)    $ (0.26)   $  (0.09)
Weighted average shares:
  Basic.................................    24,885      24,517      24,881      24,497
  Diluted...............................    24,885      24,517      24,881      24,497
</TABLE>



See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements


                                      F-31
<PAGE>   72


                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



                CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            SIX MONTHS ENDED
                                                     ------------------------------
                                                       MARCH 31,        MARCH 31,
                                                          1999             1998
                                                     --------------    ------------
                                                      (UNAUDITED)
                                                             (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                  <C>               <C>
OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net loss...........................................     $ (6,461)        $ (2,129)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash from
  operating activities:
  Gain on sale of product line.....................       (3,048)              --
  Depreciation and amortization....................        5,277            3,554
  Changes in assets and liabilities:
     Accounts receivable...........................         (244)             959
     Inventories...................................        4,301          (17,255)
     Other current assets..........................         (141)            (933)
     Capitalized software development costs and
       other assets................................       (2,864)          (4,980)
     Accounts payable..............................       (2,713)           6,451
     Accrued expenses..............................       (4,912)           1,917
  Other long-term liabilities......................           --             (407)
                                                        --------         --------
Net cash used in operating activities..............      (10,805)         (12,823)
                                                        --------         --------
INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
Additions to plant and equipment...................         (593)          (5,887)
Proceeds from sale of product line.................        4,300               --
                                                        --------         --------
Net cash provided by (used in) investing
  activities.......................................        3,707           (5,887)
                                                        --------         --------
FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from the exercise of stock options and
  warrants.........................................           12              276
Proceeds from issuance of prepaid and incentive
  warrants.........................................       11,000               --
Expenses of issuing prepaid and incentive
  warrants.........................................       (1,237)              --
Borrowings (repayments) of bank debt...............       (2,112)          15,978
Proceeds from long-term debt.......................           --              259
Repayments of long-term debt.......................         (207)          (1,019)
                                                        --------         --------
Net cash provided by financing activities..........        7,456           15,494
                                                        --------         --------
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash
  equivalents......................................           --               11
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash
  equivalents......................................          358           (3,205)
Cash and cash equivalents -- beginning of period...        2,421            8,811
                                                        --------         --------
Cash and cash equivalents -- end of period.........     $  2,779         $  5,606
                                                        --------         --------
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
Interest paid......................................     $    822         $    794
Income taxes paid..................................     $     --         $    240
</TABLE>



See Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements


                                      F-32
<PAGE>   73


                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES



              NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


                                  (UNAUDITED)



1.  CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS



     The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet of Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
and Subsidiaries (The "Company") as of March 31, 1999, the Condensed
Consolidated Statements of Operations for the three month and six month periods
ended March 31, 1999 and 1998 and the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash
Flows for the six month periods ended March 31, 1999 and 1998 have been prepared
by the Company, without audit. In the opinion of management, all adjustments
(which include only normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly
the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows at March 31, 1999
and for all periods presented have been made.



     It is suggested that these condensed consolidated financial statements be
read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto
included in the Company's Form 10-K and Form 10-K/A for the year ended September
30, 1998. The results of operations for the period ended March 31, 1999 are not
necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full year.



2.  INVENTORIES



     Inventories at March 31, 1999 and September 30, 1998 consisted of the
following;



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                MARCH 31, 1999    SEPTEMBER 30, 1998
                                --------------    ------------------
                                           (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                             <C>               <C>
Raw Materials.................     $14,814             $17,124
Work-in-Process...............       6,702              10,429
Finished Goods................       9,948               8,660
                                   -------             -------
          Total...............     $31,464             $36,213
                                   =======             =======
</TABLE>



3.  NOTES PAYABLE:



     The Company has a revolving credit agreement with three domestic banks
which is collateralized by substantially all of the domestic tangible and
intangible assets of the Company. The agreement has a term which expires in
March 2000 and borrowings under the agreement currently bear interest at the
prime rate plus two percent. At March 31, 1999, the Company had borrowings of
$35,388,000 outstanding which reflect the maximum commitment under the
agreement. Subsequent to March 31, 1999, the Company amended the credit
agreement with its banks to waive compliance with certain financial covenants
through March 31, 1999 and establish new financial covenants for the balance of
the term of the agreement. The amended agreement contains certain financial
covenants, including minimum levels of profitability, liquidity and net worth
and maximum capital expenditures. In conjunction with the amendment to the
credit agreement, the Company issued four-year warrants to its lending banks
totaling 750,000 shares, at an exercise price of $4.02 per share, of which
250,000 shares are immediately exercisable. All, or a portion, of the remaining
500,000 shares are only exercisable if the lending banks extend the credit
agreement beyond the original maturity date for a pre-determined period. Using a
Black-


                                      F-33
<PAGE>   74

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

      NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


Scholes valuation model the warrants are valued at approximately $600,000 at
their grant date. Such value will be charged to income pro-rata over the term of
the credit agreement with respect to the 250,000 shares immediately exercisable.
The value of the remaining shares will be charged to income pro-rata over the
term of the extention, if any.



4.  SALE OF PRODUCT LINE



     In December 1998, the Company sold its Aircraft Safety product line
("Aircraft Safety") to a subsidiary of B.F. Goodrich ("Goodrich") for
$4,500,000, consisting of $4,050,000 in cash paid on closing and $450,000
payable upon the resolution of two items as noted in the next paragraph. The
Company no longer considered this technology a key component of its product
portfolio or future strategic direction. The Company sold certain inventory,
equipment and intellectual property in the transaction. The transaction resulted
in an initial gain of $2,798,000 in the first quarter of fiscal 1999 and an
additional gain of $250,000 in the second quarter of fiscal 1999.



     In the third quarter of fiscal 1999, the remaining contingency relating to
employee retention ($125,000) was resolved and will be recorded as additional
gain in that quarter. As of May 17, 1999, the contingency ($75,000) related to
the novation of a certain government contract held by Aircraft Safety to
Goodrich had not been completed. Any additional gain will be recognized upon
resolution of this contingency.



5.  NET INCOME (LOSS) PER SHARE



     Basic net income (loss) per share is computed using the weighted average
number of shares outstanding during each period. Diluted net income per share
reflects the effect of the Company's outstanding stock options and warrants
(using the treasury stock method), except where such options would be
anti-dilutive.



     For the three months and six months ended March 31, 1999 and 1998, any such
potential common shares related to the Company's outstanding stock options and
warrants were anti-dilutive due to the net loss in the periods. At March 31,
1999, the Company had 3,233,000 shares of unexercised stock options, 1,573,000
shares of unexercised warrants as well as $11,000,000 in stated value of prepaid
warrants for an indeterminate number of shares.



6.  COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)



     Effective October 1, 1998, the Company adopted the provisions of Statement
of Financial Accounting Standards No. 130, "Reporting Comprehensive Income".
Currently, in addition to net income or loss, the only item that the Company
currently records as other comprehensive income or loss is the change in the
cumulative translation adjustment resulting from the changes in exchange rates
and the effect of those changes upon translation of the financial statements of
the Company's foreign operations. For the three month ended March 31, 1999 and
1998, the components of comprehensive income (loss) included net loss
attributable to common shareholders of $(4,112,000) and $(5,672,000),
respectively, foreign currency translation adjustment of $0 and $9,000,
respectively, for total comprehensive loss of $(4,112,000) and $(5,663,000),
respectively. For the six months ended March 31, 1999 and 1998, the components
of comprehensive income (loss)


                                      F-34
<PAGE>   75

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

      NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


included net loss of $(6,384,000) and $(2,129,000), respectively, foreign
currency translation adjustment of $0 and $(11,000), respectively, for total
comprehensive loss of $(6,384,000) and $(2,140,000), respectively.



7.  PREPAID AND INCENTIVE WARRANTS



     On February 23, 1999, the Company completed a private placement of its
equity securities consisting of 5-year prepaid common stock purchase warrants
("prepaid warrants") with a stated value of $11,000,000 and 5-year incentive
common stock purchase warrants ("incentive warrants") to purchase 592,307 shares
of the Company's common stock upon payment of an exercise price of $4.02 per
share. These securities were sold to four institutional investors. At the
closing, the Company received gross proceeds of $11,000,000 from the issuance of
the prepaid warrants and incentive warrants, and net proceeds of $9,763,000
after placement agent fees and other expenses of the transaction. The Company
also issued to the placement agent 5-year incentive warrants to purchase 629,915
shares of common stock at an exercise price of $4.02 per share. The market price
of the Company's common stock on the placement closing date was $3.03 per share.
As of March 31, 1999, there were issued and outstanding $11,000,000 in the
stated value of prepaid warrants, plus accrued premium of $77,000, and a total
of 1,222,222 shares of incentive warrants. Proceeds from the transaction were
used to meet working capital requirements.



     Each prepaid warrant is exercisable at the lower of $4.02 per share or 95%
of the average of the three lowest closing bid prices of the Company's common
stock during the 20-day trading period ending on the date of notice of exercise.
The prepaid warrants bear an annual premium of 7% per annum, payable in cash or,
at the Company's option, in shares of the Company's common stock, and are
initially exercisable, to the extent of 25% of the total number of shares
issuable, commencing on the 180th day (August 19, 1999) following their
issuance, increasing by increments of 25% every 90 days thereafter so that after
the passage of 450 days following the date of original issuance, the prepaid
warrants will have become fully exercisable. The incentive warrants are
exercisable at any time during their 5-year term.



     The prepaid warrants are subject to call at the Company's option if both,
during the 20-day trading day period immediately preceding the date of the
Company's notice of redemption the average closing bid price, and on the date of
the Company's notice of redemption the closing bid price, of the Company's
common stock is less than $4.02 per share, subject to anti-dilution adjustment,
at a cash price equal to 120% of the exercise amount of the prepaid warrants,
inclusive of earned premium, called for redemption. Such call right may be
exercised by the Company up to four times during the term of the prepaid
warrants. The prepaid warrants are also subject to redemption by the Company, at
the Company's option, if their exercise price falls below $2.50 per share. The
prepaid warrants have been recorded outside of stockholder's equity because the
warrant holders can require the Company to redeem the prepaid warrants under
certain circumstances outside the Company's control.



     The incentive warrants have been included in stockholders' equity in the
amount of $1,120,000, which reflects their estimated fair value. The prepaid
warrants have been recorded at $8,643,000, which reflects the amount of the net
proceeds received for the


                                      F-35
<PAGE>   76

                 ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

      NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS -- (CONTINUED)


issuance of the prepaid warrants and incentive warrants, less the value assigned
to the incentive warrants. The premium of 7% on the prepaid warrant is included
in the net loss attributable to all common stockholders.



8.  PRIVATE PLACEMENT SALE OF COMMON STOCK AND INCENTIVE WARRANTS -- SUBSEQUENT
    EVENT



     In April, 1999, the Company sold 1,309,850 shares of its common stock at
$2.25 per share, in a private placement with a U.S. corporation. Net proceeds
were approximately $2,900,000, after expenses. In conjunction with the sale of
common stock, the Company issued 5-year incentive warrants for 327,462 shares of
the Company's common stock at an exercise price of $4.02 per share. The
incentive warrants are exercisable, beginning 18 months after closing, at any
time during their 5-year term. Proceeds from the sale of common stock will be
used to meet working capital requirements.


                                      F-36
<PAGE>   77


                                    PART II



                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS


ITEM 13.  OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION


     The estimated expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of
the securities being registered, all of which will be paid by the Registrant,
are as follows:



<TABLE>
<S>                                                          <C>
SEC Registration Fee.......................................  $ 6,922.66
Accounting Fees and Expenses...............................   15,000.00
Legal Fees and Expenses....................................   25,000.00
Blue Sky Fees and Expenses.................................    1,000.00
Miscellaneous Expenses.....................................   17,077.34
                                                             ----------
          Total............................................  $65,000.00
                                                             ==========
</TABLE>



ITEM 14.  INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS


     Except as hereinafter set forth, there is no statute, charter provision,
by-law, contract or other arrangement under which any controlling person,
director or officer of Registrant is insured or indemnified in any manner
against liability which he may incur in his capacity as such.

     Article SIXTH of the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the
Registrant provides that registrant shall, to the full extent permitted by
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended, from time to
time ("DGCL"), indemnify all persons whom it may indemnify pursuant thereto.

     Section 145 of the DGCL grants the registrant the power to indemnify
existing and former directors, officers, employees and agents of the Registrant
who are sued or threatened to be sued because they are or were directors,
officers, employees and agents of the Registrant.

ITEM 15.  RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES


     On February 23, 1999, the Registrant completed a private sale of units of
its securities consisting of $11,000,000 in stated amount of prepaid common
stock purchase warrants exercisable at varying prices, and incentive common
stock purchase warrants to purchase an additional 592,307 shares of common stock
exercisable at $4.02 per share, to four accredited investors. Incentive common
stock purchase warrants to purchase an additional 629,915 shares of common stock
were issued to The Zanett Securities Corporation, the placement agent in the
offering. The placement agent also received cash compensation aggregating
$979,000. A non-affiliated person who facilitated this transaction received
25,000 shares of the Registrant's common stock, as well as incentive common
stock purchase warrants to purchase an additional 25,000 shares of the
Registrant's common stock. The terms of these warrants were substantially
identical to those afforded the placement agent.



     On April 26, 1999, the Registrant completed a private sale of 1,309,850
shares of its common stock to a single corporate investor at a price of $2.25
per share, or an aggregate of $2,947,163.


                                      II-1
<PAGE>   78


     On April 27, 1999, the Registrant issued an aggregate of 5,602 shares of
its common stock to its non-employee directors in payment of accrued but unpaid
directors' fees.



     On June 9, 1999, the Registrant issued 2,572 shares of its common stock in
partial payment of outstanding professional fees.



     Each of these transactions were exempt from registration under the
Securities Act of 1933 by reason of the provisions of Section 4(2) thereof.


ITEM 16.  EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES

     (a) Exhibits


<TABLE>
    <C>    <S>
      2.1  Agreement and Plan of Merger and Reorganization dated as of
           October 20, 1997 by and among Registrant, Vanguard
           Automation, Inc. and RVSI Southwest Acquisition Corp.(1)
      3.1  Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
           Registrant(2)
      3.2  Amendments to Amended and Restated Certificate of
           Incorporation of Registrant(3)
      3.3  Bylaws, as amended to date, of Registrant(4)
      4.1  Rights Agreement dated as of May 14, 1998 between Registrant
           and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company(4)
      4.2  Form of Prepaid Warrant(5)
        5  Opinion of Cooperman Levitt Winikoff Lester & Newman,
           P.C.(3)
     10.1  Credit Agreement, dated as of March 18, 1998, by and among
           Registrant, the Lenders Party thereto and Bank of New York,
           as Administrative Agent(6)
     10.2  Amendment No. 1 to Credit Agreement and Forbearance, dated
           June 15, 1998, by and among Registrant, the Lenders Party
           Thereto and Bank of New York, as Administrative Agent(3)
     10.3  Amendment No. 2 to Credit Agreement and Forbearance, dated
           June 26, 1998, by and among Registrant, the Lenders Party
           Thereto and Bank of New York, as Administrative Agent(3)
     10.4  Amendment No. 3 to Credit Agreement and Forbearance, dated
           December 4, 1998, by and among Registrant, the Lenders Party
           Thereto and Bank of New York, as Administrative Agent(7)
     10.5  Amendment No. 4 to Credit Agreement and Forbearance, dated
           January 29, 1999, by and among Registrant, the Lenders Party
           Thereto and Bank of New York, as Administrative Agent(3)
     10.6  Amendment No. 5 to Credit Agreement and Forbearance, dated
           March 16, 1999, by and among Registrant, the Lenders Party
           Thereto and Bank of New York, as Administrative Agent(3)
     10.7  Amendment No. 6 to Credit Agreement and Forebearance dated
           April 22, 1999, by and among Registrant, the Lenders Party
           Thereto and Bank of New York, as Administrative Agent(3)
</TABLE>


                                      II-2
<PAGE>   79


<TABLE>
<C>        <S>
     10.8  Asset Purchase Agreement, dated November 16, 1998, between Registrant and Rosemount
           Aerospace, Inc.(6)
     10.9  License Agreement dated December 4, 1998 between Registrant and Rosemount Aerospace,
           Inc.(6)
    10.10  License Agreement dated December 4, 1998 between the Company and Rosemount Aerospace,
           Inc.(6)
    10.11  Securities Purchase Agreement dated as of February 18, 1999 among Registrant and the
           purchasers parties thereto(5)
    10.11  Registration Rights Agreement(5)
       21  Subsidiaries of Registrant(6)
    23(a)  Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP(3)
    23(b)  Consent of Cooperman Levitt Winikoff Lester & Newman, P.C. (contained in their opinion
           included under Exhibit 5)
       24  Power of Attorney (comprises a portion of the signature page to this registration
           statement)
</TABLE>


- -------------------------

(1) Filed as an exhibit to Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated
    December 18, 1997.


(2) Filed as an exhibit to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-4/A,
    File No. 333-08633, filed on July 31, 1996.



(3) Filed herewith.



(4) Filed as an exhibit to Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated May 20,
    1998.



(5) Filed as an exhibit to Registrant's Current Report on Form 8-K dated
    February 24, 1999.



(6) Filed as an exhibit to Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for its
    fiscal year ended September 30, 1998.



(7) Filed as an exhibit to Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for its
    fiscal year ended September 30, 1998, filed on January 28, 1999.


     (b) Financial Statement Schedules

     See Index to Consolidated Financial Statements and Financial Statement
Schedule.

ITEM 17.  UNDERTAKINGS

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act
of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether

                                      II-3
<PAGE>   80

such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.

     The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

          (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
     made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement;

             (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the
        Securities Act of 1933;

             (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after
        the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent
        post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
        aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth
        in the registration statement;

             (iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan
        of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement
        or any material change to such information set forth in the registration
        statement;

     provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (1)(ii) shall not apply if
     the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by
     those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant
     pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are
     incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement;

          (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
     Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed
     to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
     therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed
     to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
     any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
     termination of this offering.

                                      II-4
<PAGE>   81


                                   SIGNATURES





     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
has duly caused this registration statement or amendment thereto to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Canton,
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on the 11th day of June, 1999.


                                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.

                                          By:       /s/ PAT V. COSTA
                                            ------------------------------------
                                              Pat V. Costa
                                              Chairman, President and
                                              Chief Executive Officer


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
this registration statement or amendment thereto has been signed by the
following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                     SIGNATURE                                      TITLE                      DATE
                     ---------                                      -----                      ----
<C>                                                    <S>                                 <C>

                 /s/ PAT V. COSTA                      Chairman, President and Chief       June 11, 1999
- ---------------------------------------------------      Executive Officer (Principal
                   Pat V. Costa                          Executive Officer)

               /s/ FRANK D. EDWARDS                    Chief Financial Officer and         June 11, 1999
- ---------------------------------------------------      Treasurer (Principal Financial
                 Frank D. Edwards                        and Accounting Officer)

                         *                             Director                            June 11, 1999
- ---------------------------------------------------
                   Howard Stern

                         *                             Director                            June 11, 1999
- ---------------------------------------------------
                  Frank DiPietro
                                                       Director
- ---------------------------------------------------
                    Jay M. Haft

                         *                             Director                            June 11, 1999
- ---------------------------------------------------
                    Tomas Kohn

                         *                             Director                            June 11, 1999
- ---------------------------------------------------
                 Donald J. Kramer

                         *                             Director                            June 11, 1999
- ---------------------------------------------------
                  Mark J. Lerner

                         *                             Director                            June 11, 1999
- ---------------------------------------------------
                 Robert H. Walker
</TABLE>


                                      II-5
<PAGE>   82


* Frank D. Edwards, pursuant to Powers of Attorney (executed by each of the
 officers and directors listed above), by signing his name hereto does hereby
 sign and execute this Amendment to the Registration Statement on behalf of each
 of the persons referenced above.



                                                   /s/ FRANK D. EDWARDS

                                              ----------------------------------

                                                       Frank D. Edwards


                                      II-6
<PAGE>   83

                                                                   EXHIBIT 23(A)


                         INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT



     We consent to the use in this Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No.
333-76927 of Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. of our report dated January 18, 1999,
appearing in the Prospectus, which is part of such Registration Statement, and
to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Prospectus.


                                                 /s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
                                              ----------------------------------
                                                    Deloitte & Touche LLP

Boston, Massachusetts

June 11, 1999


<PAGE>   1
                                                                     EXHIBIT 3.2


                            CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

                                       OF

                      RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

                                       OF

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.

         ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC., a corporation organized and existing
under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware,
DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:

         FIRST: That at a meeting of the Board of Directors of Robotic Vision
Systems, Inc. resolutions were duly adopted setting forth a proposed amendment
to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, declaring said
amendment to be advisable and providing for consideration thereof at the next
regularly scheduled meeting of the stockholders of said Corporation. The
resolution setting forth the proposed amendment is as follows:

     RESOLVED, that the Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation be
     amended to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized
     thereunder from fifty million (50,000,000) to seventy five million
     (75,000,000), subject to ratification by the stockholders at the next
     regularly scheduled meeting of stockholders; and it was further

     RESOLVED, that Article FOURTH of the Certificate of Incorporation be
     amended to read as follows:

          "FOURTH: the Corporation shall be authorized to issue seventy five
          million (75,000,000) shares with par value of one cent $0.01) per
          share."


<PAGE>   2


         SECOND: That, pursuant to resolutions of its Board of Directors, the
1999 annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation was duly called and
held on the 10th day of June, 1999 upon notice in accordance with Section 222 of
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, at which meeting the
necessary number of shares as required by statute were voted in favor of the
amendment.

         THIRD: That the aforesaid amendment was duly adopted in accordance with
Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. has caused this
Certificate to be signed by Pat V. Costa, its President, and Frank D. Edwards,
its Secretary, this 10th day of June, 1999.

                                                     /s/Pat V. Costa
                                                     -----------------------
                                                     Pat V. Costa, President


ATTEST:

/s/Frank D. Edwards
- ---------------------------
Frank D. Edwards, Secretary



<PAGE>   3

                            CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

                                       OF

                      RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

                                       OF

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.

         ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC., a corporation organized and existing
under and by virtue of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware,
DOES HEREBY CERTIFY:

         FIRST: That at a meeting of the Board of Directors of Robotic Vision
Systems, Inc. resolutions were duly adopted setting forth a proposed amendment
to the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, declaring said
amendment to be advisable and providing for consideration thereof at the next
regularly scheduled meeting of the stockholders of said Corporation. The
resolution setting forth the proposed amendment is as follows:

         RESOLVED, that the Corporation's Restated Certificate of Incorporation
         be amended to increase the number of shares of common stock authorized
         thereunder from thirty million (30,000,000) to fifty million
         (50,000,000), subject to ratification by the stockholders at the next
         regularly scheduled meeting of stockholders; and it was further

         RESOLVED, that Article FOURTH of the Certificate of Incorporation be
         amended to read as follows:

                  "FOURTH: the Corporation shall be authorized
                  to issue fifty million (50,000,000) shares
                  with par value of one cent $0.01) per share."


<PAGE>   4


         SECOND: That, pursuant to resolutions of its Board of Directors, the
1998 annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation was duly called and
held on the 9th day of April, 1998 upon notice in accordance with Section 222 of
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, at which meeting the
necessary number of shares as required by statute were voted in favor of the
amendment.

         THIRD: That the aforesaid amendment was duly adopted in accordance with
Section 242 of the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. has caused
this Certificate to be signed by Pat V. Costa, its President, and
John Arcari, its Secretary, this 9th day of April, 1998.

                                                     /s/Pat V. Costa
                                                     -----------------------
                                                     Pat V. Costa, President


ATTEST:

/s/Frank D. Edwards
- ---------------------------
Frank D. Edwards, Secretary




<PAGE>   1
                                                                       Exhibit 5

        [Letterhead of Cooperman Levitt Winikoff Lester & Newman, P.C.]

                                    June 11, 1999

Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
5 Shawmut Road
Canton, Massachusetts  02021

            Re:   Registration Statement on Form S-1
                  Under the Securities Act of 1933

Ladies and Gentlemen:

      In our capacity as counsel to Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), we have been asked to render this opinion in
connection with a Registration Statement on Form S- 1, as amended (File No.
333-76927), heretofore filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Registration
Statement"), covering (i) 25,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per
share, of the Company ("Common Stock") that are presently issued and outstanding
(the "Shares"), (ii) up to 10,437,361 shares of Common Stock (the "Prepaid
Warrant Shares") issuable upon future exercises of certain prepaid warrants
heretofore issued by the Company and which will expire on February 19, 2004 (the
"Prepaid Warrants"), and (iii) up to 1,247,222 shares of Common Stock (the
"Incentive Warrant Shares") issuable upon future exercises of certain incentive
warrants heretofore issued by the Company and which will expire on February 19,
2004 (the "Incentive Warrants"), all of which have been included in the
Registration Statement for the account of the several persons identified as the
Selling Stockholders.

      In that connection, we have examined the Certificate of Incorporation and
the By-Laws of the Company, both as amended to date, the Prepaid Warrants, the
Incentive Warrants, the Registration Statement, corporate proceedings of the
Company relating to the issuance of each of, respectively, the Prepaid Warrants,
the Incentive Warrants, the Shares, the Prepaid Warrant Shares and the Incentive
Warrant Shares and such other instruments and documents as we have deemed
relevant under the circumstances.

      In making the aforesaid examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of
all signatures and the conformity to original documents of all copies furnished
to us as original or photostatic copies. We have also assumed that the corporate
records furnished to us by the Company include all corporate proceedings taken
by the Company to date.

      Based upon the subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

<PAGE>   2

      (1)   The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a
            corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
            Delaware.

      (2)   The Shares have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are
            fully paid and non-assessable.

      (3)   The Prepaid Warrant Shares have been duly and validly authorized
            and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the
            Prepaid Warrants and as described in the Registration Statement,
            will be duly and validly issued fully paid and non-assessable.

      (4)   The Incentive Warrant Shares have been duly and validly authorized
            and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the
            Incentive Warrants and as described in the Registration Statement,
            will be duly and validly issued fully paid and non-assessable.

      We hereby consent to the use of our opinion as herein set forth as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the prospectus forming a part of the Registration
Statement.

                                    Very truly yours,

                                    COOPERMAN LEVITT WINIKOFF
                                      LESTER & NEWMAN, P.C.


                                    By: /s/ Ira Roxland
                                       A Member of the Firm


<PAGE>   1
                                                                    Exhibit 10.2

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 1
                                       AND
                                  WAIVER NO. 2
                                TO AND UNDER THE
                                CREDIT AGREEMENT

                              --------------------

      AMENDMENT NO. 1 AND WAIVER NO. 2 (this "Amendment and Waiver"), dated as
of June 15, 1998, to and under the Credit Agreement, dated as of March 18, 1998,
by and among ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the
"Borrower"), the Lenders party thereto and THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as
administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the "Administrative
Agent") (the "Credit Agreement").

                                    RECITALS

      A. Capitalized terms used herein which are not defined herein shall have
the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Credit Agreement.

      B. The Borrower has requested that the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders agree to amend Section 8.1(f) of the Credit Agreement to the extent and
in the manner set forth below, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
executing this Amendment and Waiver are willing to do so subject to the terms
and conditions hereof.

      C. The Borrower has requested that the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders waive compliance with Section 8.5(d)(i) of the Credit Agreement to the
extent and in the manner set forth below, and the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders executing this Amendment and Waiver are willing to do so subject to the
terms and conditions hereof.

      D. Reference is made to the Settlement Agreement, dated June 12, 1998, by
and between the Borrower and General Scanning Inc., a Massachusetts corporation
("GSI") (the "Settlement Agreement").

      E. Reference is also made to the Subordination Agreement, dated as of June
___, 1998, by and among the Borrower, GSI and the Administrative Agent (the
"Subordination Agreement").

      In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements hereinafter
set forth, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

      1.    Definitions.

                  "Settlement Agreement Transaction": shall mean the
            consummation, according to the terms of the Settlement Agreement,
            (i) of the acquisition by the Borrower from

<PAGE>   2

            GSI, of an exclusive license to use GSI's 2-dimensional and
            3-dimensional laser scanning technology and the peripheral
            documentation, (ii) a non-competition agreement by and between the
            Borrower and GSI, and (iii) other agreements made in connection
            therewith.

                  "GSI Note" shall mean the Promissory Note, dated June 12,
            1998, made by the Borrower in favor of GSI, in the principal amount
            of $2,250,000.

      2. Section 8.1(f) of the Credit Agreement is amended and restated in its
entirety to read as follows:

                  (1) unsecured subordinated Indebtedness of the Borrower under
            the GSI Note, provided that no Default or Event of Default shall
            exist immediately before and after giving effect thereto and all of
            the representations and warranties contained in Article 4 shall be
            true and correct as if then made (except (i) the representation
            contained in the last sentence of Section 4.4 and (ii) to the extent
            such representations and warranties specifically relate to an
            earlier date, in which case such representations and warranties
            shall have been true and correct on and as of such earlier date).

      3. Solely with respect to the Settlement Agreement Transaction, the
Administrative Agent hereby waives compliance with the provisions of Section
8.5(d)(i) of the Credit Agreement for the period from and including the date 10
days prior to the Settlement Agreement Transaction through and including the
date of the Settlement Agreement Transaction.

      4. Paragraphs 1 through 3 of this Amendment and Waiver shall not be
effective until the following has occurred:

                  (a) The Administrative Agent shall have executed this
Amendment and Waiver and shall have received the consent thereto of Required
Lenders, the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors;

                  (b) The Administrative Agent shall have received such other
documents as it shall reasonably request.

      5. The effectiveness of this Amendment presumes the receipt by the
Administrative Agent of the Subordination Agreement duly executed by each of
GSI, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. If the Subordination Agreement
is not delivered to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower and GSI by June 26,
1998, this Amendment shall be null and void.

      6. By their execution at the foot hereof, each of the Borrower and each
Subsidiary Guarantor hereby reaffirms and admits the validity and enforceability
of the


                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3

Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and all of its obligations
thereunder and admits that it has no defense, offset or counterclaim thereto.

      7. This Amendment and Waiver and the consents hereto may be executed in
any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which
shall constitute one agreement. It shall not be necessary in making proof of
this Amendment and Waiver and the consents hereto to produce or account for more
than one counterpart signed by the party to be charged.

      8. This Amendment and Waiver is being delivered in and is intended to be
performed in the State of New York and shall be construed and enforceable in
accordance with, and be governed by, the internal laws of the State of New York
without regard to principles of conflict of laws.


                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                        AMENDMENT NO. 1 AND WAIVER NO. 2
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Administrative Agent has caused this Amendment and
Waiver to be duly executed and delivered by their proper and duly authorized
officers as of the day and year first above written.

                                 THE BANK OF NEW YORK, individually
                                 and as Administrative Agent


                                 By: ______________________________________
                                 Name: ____________________________________
                                 Title: ___________________________________

<PAGE>   5

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                        AMENDMENT NO. 1 AND WAIVER NO. 2
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK


By: ______________________________________
Name: ____________________________________
Title: ___________________________________

<PAGE>   6

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                        AMENDMENT NO. 1 AND WAIVER NO. 2
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

FLEET BANK, N.A.


By: ______________________________________
Name: ____________________________________
Title: ___________________________________

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    Exhibit 10.3

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 2
                               TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

      AMENDMENT NO. 2 (this "Amendment"), dated as of June 26, 1998, to the
Credit Agreement, dated as of March 18, 1998, by and among ROBOTIC VISION
SYSTEMS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Borrower"), the Lenders party
thereto and THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as administrative agent for the Lenders (in
such capacity, the "Administrative Agent"), as amended by Amendment No. 1 and
Waiver No. 2, dated as of June 15, 1998 ("Amendment No. 1")(the "Credit
Agreement").

                                    RECITALS

      A. Capitalized terms used herein which are not defined herein shall have
the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Credit Agreement.

      B. The Borrower has requested that the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders amend Amendment No. 1 and the Agreement as set forth herein and the
Administrative Agent and the Lenders executing this Amendment are willing to do
so subject to the terms and conditions hereof.

      In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements hereinafter
set forth, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

      1. It is agreed that paragraph 5 of Amendment No. 1 is deleted and that
the Article 7 of the Agreement be and the same is hereby amended by adding the
following Section at the end thereof:

      7.11 Subordination of GSI Note

            Cause to be delivered to the Administrative Agent as soon as
executed, and in any event not later than July 17, 1998, the GSI Subordination
Agreement (as defined in Amendment No. 1).

      2. This Amendment shall not be effective until the Administrative Agent
shall have executed this Amendment and shall have received (i) the consent
thereto of Required Lenders, the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors and (ii)
such other documents as it shall reasonably request.

      3. By their execution at the foot hereof, each of the Borrower and each
Subsidiary Guarantor hereby reaffirms and admits the validity and enforceability
of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and all of its obligations
thereunder and admits that it has no defense, offset or counterclaim thereto.

      4. This Amendment and the consents hereto may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall
constitute one agreement. It shall not be necessary in making proof of this
Amendment and the consents

<PAGE>   2

hereto to produce or account for more than one counterpart signed by the party
to be charged.

      5. This Amendment is being delivered in and is intended to be performed in
the State of New York and shall be construed and enforceable in accordance with,
and be governed by, the internal laws of the State of New York without regard to
principles of conflict of laws.


                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                   AMENDMENT NO. 2 UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Administrative Agent has caused this Amendment to
be duly executed and delivered by their proper and duly authorized officers as
of the day and year first above written.

                                 THE BANK OF NEW YORK, individually
                                 and as Administrative Agent


                                 By: ______________________________________
                                 Name: ____________________________________
                                 Title: ___________________________________

<PAGE>   4

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                     AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK


By: ______________________________________
Name: ____________________________________
Title: ___________________________________

<PAGE>   5

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                     AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

FLEET BANK, N.A.


By: ______________________________________
Name: ____________________________________
Title: ___________________________________

<PAGE>   6

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                     AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.

By: ______________________________________
Name: ____________________________________
Title: ___________________________________


ACUITY IMAGING LLC

By: Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.,
 as Sole Member and Manager

By: ______________________________________
Name: ____________________________________
Title: ___________________________________


CIMATRIX LLC

By: Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.,
 as Sole Member and Manager

By: ______________________________________
Name: ____________________________________
Title: ___________________________________

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.5

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 4
                                       AND
                            FORBEARANCE TO AND UNDER
                         THE REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

            AMENDMENT NO. 4 AND FORBEARANCE (this "Amendment and Forbearance"),
dated as of January 29, 1999, to and under the Credit Agreement, dated as of
March 18, 1998, by and among ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Borrower"), the Lenders party thereto and THE BANK OF NEW
YORK, as administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the
"Administrative Agent") as heretofore amended and as may heretofore be amended,
modified and supplemented from time to time (the "Credit Agreement").

                                    RECITALS

            A. Capitalized terms used herein which are not defined herein shall
have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Credit Agreement.

            B. As more fully described in Amendment No. 3, certain Forbearance
Events of Default have occurred and are continuing or are anticipated to occur
in the future.

            C. The Borrower has requested that the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders agree (i) to amend certain provisions of the Credit Agreement and (ii)
to forbear from exercising rights under the Loan Documents with respect to the
Forbearance Events of Default, in each case to the extent and in the manner set
forth below, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders executing this
Amendment and Forbearance are willing to do so subject to the terms and
conditions hereof.

            In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements
hereinafter set forth, and for other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree
as follows:

            SECTION 1. Forbearance. (a) The Administrative Agent, the Lenders
and the Borrower hereby acknowledge the occurrence and continuance of, or the
future occurrence of, the Forbearance Events of Default, in each case, as
described in Amendment No. 3 and as amended hereby. Subject to the satisfaction
of the conditions set forth in Section 3 hereof and so long as no Event of
Default (other than the Forbearance Events of Default) shall have occurred and
be continuing under the Credit Agreement, the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders hereby agree to forbear, until the expiration of the Forbearance Period,
from commencing any lawsuit or taking any action to enforce any of their
respective rights and remedies under the Loan Documents (including, without
limitation, disposing of or collecting upon any Collateral granted to secure
payment under the Loan Documents) in connection with the Forbearance Events of
Default; provided, however, that such forbearance shall extend only to the
foregoing specific Forbearance Events of Default and not to any other Defaults
or Events of Default now existing or occurring after the Amendment No. 4
Effective Date and shall not in any way or manner restrict the Administrative
Agent or the Lenders

<PAGE>   2

from exercising any rights or remedies they may have after the expiration or
termination of the Forbearance Period.

            (b) The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby agree that
during the Forbearance Period, the provisions of Section 3.1(b) of the Credit
Agreement shall not apply and the default rate of interest described in such
section shall not accrue and shall not be deemed to have accrued, at any time
prior to or during the Forbearance Period (although interest shall continue to
accrue at the rates otherwise applicable) as to any amounts payable or
outstanding under the Credit Agreement; provided, that during the Forbearance
Period all Revolving Loans shall be maintained as ABR Advances and may not be
converted to Eurodollar Advances.

            SECTION 2. Amendments to Credit Agreement.

                  (a)   The definition of the term "Anticipatory Events of
                        Default" set forth in Recital B of Amendment No. 3 is
                        hereby amended by deleting the date "January 29, 1999"
                        appearing therein and inserting in lieu thereof the date
                        "March 19, 1999".

                  (b)   The definition of the term "Forbearance Period" is
                        hereby amended by deleting the date "January 29, 1999"
                        appearing in clause (i) of such definition and inserting
                        in lieu thereof the date "March 19, 1999".

                  (c)   Section 1.1 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by
                        adding the following new definitions in appropriate
                        alphabetical order:

                  "Amendment No. 4": shall mean that certain Amendment No. 4 and
                  Forbearance to and under the Credit Agreement, dated as of
                  January 29, 1999.

                  "Amendment No. 4 Effective Date": shall have the meaning set
                  forth in Section 3 of Amendment No. 4.

                  (d)   Section 2.4(b) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended
                        by deleting the word "and" immediately following
                        subsection (iii) thereof, by deleting the period at the
                        end of subsection (iv) thereof and inserting in lieu
                        thereof a semi-colon and the word "and", and by
                        inserting the following new subsection (v) at the end
                        thereof:

                  "(v) by an amount equal to 50% of the net cash paid to the
                  Borrower (after payment of expenses of settlement and legal
                  fees incurred by the Borrower) in connection with any
                  settlement of the pending patent infringement litigation
                  commenced by the Borrower against View Engineering, Inc., a
                  wholly-owned


                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3

                  subsidiary of General Scanning, Inc., as and when received by
                  the Borrower."

                  (e)   Section 3.1(a) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended
                        by deleting clause (i) thereof in its entirety and
                        inserting in lieu thereof the following:

                  "(i) ABR Advance shall bear interest, from and after the
                  Amendment No. 4 Effective Date, at a rate per annum equal to
                  the Alternate Base Rate plus 1%, provided that if the Borrower
                  shall not have received prior to April 1, 1999 the gross
                  proceeds of subordinated Indebtedness (upon terms satisfactory
                  to the Required Banks in the exercise of their reasonable
                  discretion) or the issuance of equity in an aggregate amount
                  of at least $14,000,000, each ABR Advance shall bear interest,
                  from and after April 1, 1999, at a rate per annum equal to the
                  Alternate Base Rate plus 2%,"

            SECTION 3. This Amendment and Forbearance shall not become effective
until the date (the "Amendment No.4 Effective Date") on which each of the
following has occurred:

                  (a)   The Administrative Agent shall have executed this
                        Amendment and Forbearance and shall have received the
                        consent thereto of each of the Lenders, the Borrower and
                        the Subsidiary Guarantors;

                  (b)   (i) The Borrower shall be in compliance with all of the
                        terms and provisions set forth in the Credit Agreement
                        (excluding the Forbearance Events of Default) to be
                        observed and performed by it; (ii) all representations
                        and warranties contained in Article 4 of the Credit
                        Agreement (excluding the Forbearance Events of Default)
                        shall be true and correct in all material respects on
                        and as of the Amendment No. 4 Effective Date with the
                        same effect as if made on and as of such date except to
                        the extent such representations and warranties expressly
                        relate to an earlier date; and (iii) after giving effect
                        to this Amendment and Forbearance, no Event of Default
                        or event which upon notice or lapse of time or both


                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4

                        would constitute an Event of Default shall have occurred
                        and be continuing (other than the Forbearance Events of
                        Default); and

                  (c)   The Administrative Agent shall have received such other
                        documents as it shall reasonably request.

            SECTION 4. The Borrower agrees to pay to Zalkin, Rodin & Goodman LLP
any reasonable fees and disbursements of such firm in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby promptly upon the presentation of an invoice
therefor. The Borrower authorizes and directs the Administrative Agent to debit
the Borrower's operating account (Account No. 690-0761641) and pay such amounts
no earlier than three (3) days subsequent to such presentation.

            SECTION 5. By their execution at the foot hereof, each of the
Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby reaffirms and admits the validity
and enforce ability of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and all
of its obligations thereunder and admits that it has no defense, offset or
counterclaim thereto.

            SECTION 6. This Amendment and Forbearance and the consents hereto
may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of wich shall be an original
and all of which shall constitute one agreement. It shall not be necessary in
making proof of this Amendment and Forbearance and the consents hereto to
produce or account for more than one counterpart signed by the party to be
charged.

            SECTION 7. This Amendment and Forbearance is being delivered in and
is intended to be performed in the State of New York and shall be construed and
enforceable in accordance with, and be governed by, the internal laws of the
State of New York without regard to principles of conflict of laws.


                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                         AMENDMENT NO. 4 AND FORBEARANCE
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent have caused
this Amendment and Forbearance to be duly executed and delivered by their proper
and duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

                              ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.

                              By:_______________________________________
                              Name:_____________________________________
                              Title:____________________________________


                              THE BANK OF NEW YORK, individually
                              and as Administrative Agent

                              By:_______________________________________
                              Name:_____________________________________
                              Title:____________________________________


                                       -5-
<PAGE>   6

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                         AMENDMENT NO. 4 AND FORBEARANCE
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK


By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


                                       -6-
<PAGE>   7

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                         AMENDMENT NO. 4 AND FORBEARANCE
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

FLEET BANK, N.A.


By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


                                       -7-
<PAGE>   8

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                         AMENDMENT NO. 4 AND FORBEARANCE
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

SYSTEMATION ENGINEERED PRODUCTS, INC.
VANGUARD AUTOMATION, INC.

AS TO EACH OF THE FOREGOING

By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


NORTHEAST ROBOTICS LLC
By:   Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
      as Sole Member and Manager
      of Acuity Imaging LLC,
      as Sole Member and Manager

By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


                                       -8-
<PAGE>   9

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                         AMENDMENT NO. 4 AND FORBEARANCE
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

ACUITY IMAGING LLC
By:   Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
      as Sole Member and Manager

By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


CIMATRIX LLC
By:   Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
      as Sole Member and Manager

By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


                                       -9-

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    Exhibit 10.6

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 5
                                       AND
                            FORBEARANCE TO AND UNDER
                         THE REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

            AMENDMENT NO. 5 AND FORBEARANCE (this "Amendment and Forbearance"),
dated as of March 16, 1999, to and under the Credit Agreement, dated as of March
18, 1998, by and among ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the
"Borrower"), the Lenders party thereto and THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as
administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the "Administrative
Agent") as heretofore amended and as may heretofore be amended, modified and
supplemented from time to time (the "Credit Agreement").

                                    RECITALS

            A. Capitalized terms used herein which are not defined herein shall
have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Credit Agreement.

            B. As more fully described in Amendment No. 3, certain Forbearance
Events of Default have occurred and are continuing or are anticipated to occur
in the future.

            C. The Borrower has requested that the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders agree (i) to amend certain provisions of the Credit Agreement and (ii)
to forbear from exercising rights under the Loan Documents with respect to the
Forbearance Events of Default, in each case to the extent and in the manner set
forth below, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders executing this
Amendment and Forbearance are willing to do so subject to the terms and
conditions hereof.

            In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements
hereinafter set forth, and for other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree
as follows:

            SECTION 1. Forbearance. (a) The Administrative Agent, the Lenders
and the Borrower hereby acknowledge the occurrence and continuance of, or the
future occurrence of, the Forbearance Events of Default, in each case, as
described in Amendment No. 3 and as amended hereby. Subject to the satisfaction
of the conditions set forth in Section 3 hereof and so long as no Event of
Default (other than the Forbearance Events of Default) shall have occurred and
be continuing under the Credit Agreement, the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders hereby agree to forbear, until the expiration of the Forbearance Period,
from commencing any lawsuit or taking any action to enforce any of their
respective rights and remedies under the Loan Documents (including, without
limitation, disposing of or collecting upon any Collateral granted to secure
payment under the Loan Documents) in connection with the Forbearance Events of
Default; provided, however, that such forbearance shall extend only to the
foregoing specific Forbearance Events of Default and not to any other Defaults
or Events of Default now existing or occurring after the Amendment No. 5

<PAGE>   2

Effective Date and shall not in any way or manner restrict the Administrative
Agent or the Lenders from exercising any rights or remedies they may have after
the expiration or termination of the Forbearance Period.

            (b) The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby agree that
during the Forbearance Period, the provisions of Section 3.1(b) of the Credit
Agreement shall not apply and the default rate of interest described in such
section shall not accrue and shall not be deemed to have accrued, at any time
prior to or during the Forbearance Period (although interest shall continue to
accrue at the rates otherwise applicable) as to any amounts payable or
outstanding under the Credit Agreement; provided, that during the Forbearance
Period all Revolving Loans shall be maintained as ABR Advances and may not be
converted to Eurodollar Advances.

            SECTION 2. Amendments to Credit Agreement.

                  (a)   The definition of the term "Anticipatory Events of
                        Default" set forth in Recital B of Amendment No. 3 is
                        hereby amended by deleting the date "March 19, 1999"
                        appearing therein and inserting in lieu thereof the date
                        "April 23, 1999".

                  (b)   The definition of the term "Forbearance Period" is
                        hereby amended by deleting the date "March 19, 1999"
                        appearing in clause (i) of such definition and inserting
                        in lieu thereof the date "April 23, 1999".

                  (c)   Section 1.1 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by
                        adding the following new definitions in appropriate
                        alphabetical order:

                  "Amendment No. 5": shall mean that certain Amendment No. 5 and
                  Forbearance to and under the Credit Agreement, dated as of
                  March 16, 1999.

                  "Amendment No. 5 Effective Date": shall have the meaning set
                  forth in Section 3 of Amendment No. 5.

                  "Section 7.12 Transaction": shall have the meaning set forth
                  in Section 7.12.

                  (d)   Section 2.4(b) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended
                        by deleting the word "and" immediately following
                        subsection (iv) thereof, by deleting the period at the
                        end of subsection (v) thereof and inserting in lieu
                        thereof a semi-colon and the word "and", and by
                        inserting the following new subsection (vi) at the end
                        thereof:

                  "(vi) by an amount equal to 80% of the Net Cash Proceeds with
                  respect to a Section 7.12 Transaction permitted by Section
                  8.6(f) hereof, it being understood


                                       -2-
<PAGE>   3

                  and agreed that the Borrower shall be permitted to retain the
                  balance thereof for working capital purposes."

                  (e)   Article 7 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by
                        inserting the following new sections 7.11 and 7.12 at
                        the end thereof:

                  "7.11 Accounts Receivable and Inventory Review

                        As soon as practicable after the Amendment No. 5
                  Effective Date, the Borrower shall instruct
                  PricewaterhouseCoopers, financial consultants to the Borrower,
                  to commence a review of the Borrower's and its Subsidiaries'
                  accounts receivable and inventory, to deliver to the Lenders
                  copies of the report prepared in connection with such review,
                  and to make the Accountants available to the Lenders to
                  discuss such report as may reasonably be requested by the
                  Lenders.

                  7.12 Sale of Business Unit

                        From and after the Amendment No. 5 Effective Date, the
                  Borrower shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect the
                  sale or other disposition of the capital stock of, or
                  substantially all of the assets of one of its business units
                  in an arms-length transaction on commercially reasonable terms
                  for fair consideration (a "Section 7.12 Transaction"), and to
                  apprise the Agent and the Lenders not less than once every two
                  weeks as to the Borrower's efforts to effect such sale, and
                  the progress achieved in the consummation thereof, in each
                  case in such detail as the Lenders shall reasonably request."

                  (f)   Section 8.6 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by
                        inserting the following new subsection (f) at the end
                        thereof:

                  "(f) notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in
                  this Section 8.6, and subject to the terms of Section
                  2.4(b)(vi) hereof, a Section 7.12 Transaction on terms
                  satisfactory to the Required Banks."

            SECTION 3. This Amendment and Forbearance shall not become effective
until the date (the "Amendment No.5 Effective Date") on which each of the
following has occurred:

                  (a)   The Administrative Agent shall have executed this
                        Amendment and Forbearance and shall have received the
                        consent thereto of each of the Lenders, the Borrower and
                        the Subsidiary Guarantors;


                                       -3-
<PAGE>   4

                  (b)   (i) The Borrower shall be in compliance with all of the
                        terms and provisions set forth in the Credit Agreement
                        (excluding the Forbearance Events of Default) to be
                        observed and performed by it; (ii) all representations
                        and warranties contained in Article 4 of the Credit
                        Agreement (excluding the Forbearance Events of Default)
                        shall be true and correct in all material respects on
                        and as of the Amendment No. 5 Effective Date with the
                        same effect as if made on and as of such date except to
                        the extent such representations and warranties expressly
                        relate to an earlier date; and (iii) after giving effect
                        to this Amendment and Forbearance, no Event of Default
                        or event which upon notice or lapse of time or both
                        would constitute an Event of Default shall have occurred
                        and be continuing (other than the Forbearance Events of
                        Default); and

                  (c)   The Administrative Agent shall have received such other
                        documents as it shall reasonably request.

            SECTION 4. The Borrower agrees to pay to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
any reasonable fees and disbursements of such firm in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby promptly upon the presentation of an invoice
therefor. The Borrower authorizes and directs the Administrative Agent to debit
the Borrower's operating account (Account No. 690-0761641) and pay such amounts
no earlier than three (3) days subsequent to such presentation.

            SECTION 5. By their execution at the foot hereof, each of the
Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby reaffirms and admits the validity
and enforce ability of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and all
of its obligations thereunder and admits that it has no defense, offset or
counterclaim thereto.

            SECTION 6. This Amendment and Forbearance and the consents hereto
may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an
original and all of which shall constitute one agreement. It shall not be
necessary in making proof of this Amendment and Forbearance and the consents
hereto to produce or account for more than one counterpart signed by the party
to be charged.

            SECTION 7. This Amendment and Forbearance is being delivered in and
is intended to be performed in the State of New York and shall be construed and
enforceable in


                                       -4-
<PAGE>   5

accordance with, and be governed by, the internal laws of the State of New York
without regard to principles of conflict of laws.


                                       -5-
<PAGE>   6

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                         AMENDMENT NO. 5 AND FORBEARANCE
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent have caused
this Amendment and Forbearance to be duly executed and delivered by their proper
and duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

                              ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.

                              By:_______________________________________
                              Name:_____________________________________
                              Title:____________________________________


                              THE BANK OF NEW YORK, individually
                              and as Administrative Agent

                              By:_______________________________________
                              Name:_____________________________________
                              Title:____________________________________


                                       -6-
<PAGE>   7

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                         AMENDMENT NO. 5 AND FORBEARANCE
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK


By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


                                       -7-
<PAGE>   8

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                         AMENDMENT NO. 5 AND FORBEARANCE
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

FLEET BANK, N.A.


By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


                                       -8-
<PAGE>   9

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                         AMENDMENT NO. 5 AND FORBEARANCE
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

SYSTEMATION ENGINEERED PRODUCTS, INC.
VANGUARD AUTOMATION, INC.

AS TO EACH OF THE FOREGOING

By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


NORTHEAST ROBOTICS LLC
By:   Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
      as Sole Member and Manager
      of Acuity Imaging LLC,
      as Sole Member and Manager

By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


                                       -9-
<PAGE>   10

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                         AMENDMENT NO. 5 AND FORBEARANCE
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

ACUITY IMAGING LLC
By:   Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
      as Sole Member and Manager

By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


CIMATRIX LLC
By:   Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
      as Sole Member and Manager

By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


                                      -10-

<PAGE>   1
                                                                    Exhibit 10.7

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 6
                                       AND
                               WAIVER TO AND UNDER
                         THE REVOLVING CREDIT AGREEMENT

            AMENDMENT NO. 6 AND WAIVER (this "Amendment and Waiver"), dated as
of April 22, 1999, to and under the Credit Agreement, dated as of March 18,
1998, by and among ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the
"Borrower"), the Lenders party thereto and THE BANK OF NEW YORK, as
administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the "Administrative
Agent") as heretofore amended and as may heretofore be amended, modified and
supplemented from time to time (the "Credit Agreement").

                                    RECITALS

            A. Capitalized terms used herein which are not defined herein shall
have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Credit Agreement.

            B. As more fully described in Amendment No. 3, certain Forbearance
Events of Default have occurred and are continuing.

            C. The Borrower has requested that the Administrative Agent and the
Lenders agree (i) to amend certain provisions of the Credit Agreement and (ii)
to waive the Forbearance Events of Default, in each case to the extent and in
the manner set forth below, and the Administrative Agent and the Lenders
executing this Amendment and Waiver are willing to do so subject to the terms
and conditions hereof.

            In consideration of the covenants, conditions and agreements
hereinafter set forth, and for other good and valuable consideration, the
receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree
as follows:

            SECTION 1. Waivers. The Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the
Borrower hereby acknowledge the occurrence and continuance of the Forbearance
Events of Default, in each case, as described in Amendment No. 3 and as amended
by Amendment No. 5. Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in
Section 3 hereof, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby waive each of
the Forbearance Events of Default.

            SECTION 2. Amendments to Credit Agreement.

                  (a)   Section 1.1 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by
                        adding the following new definitions in appropriate
                        alphabetical order:

                  "Amendment No. 6": shall mean that certain Amendment No. 6 and
                  Waiver to and under the Credit Agreement, dated as of April
                  22, 1999.

<PAGE>   2

                  "Amendment No. 6 Effective Date": shall have the meaning set
                  forth in Section 3 of Amendment No. 6.

                  (b)   The definition of Consolidated EBITDA is hereby amended
                        in its entirety to read as follows:

                  "Consolidated EBITDA" means, for any period, net income of the
                  Borrower and the Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated
                  basis in accordance with GAAP for such period plus (i) the sum
                  of, without duplication, each of the following of the Borrower
                  and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance
                  with GAAP, each to the extent utilized in determining net
                  income for such period (a) interest expense, (b) provision for
                  income taxes, (c) depreciation, amortization and other
                  non-cash charges and non-recurring charges, and (d)
                  extraordinary losses from sales, exchanges and other
                  dispositions of property not in the ordinary course of
                  business, minus (ii) the sum of, without duplication, each of
                  the following with respect to the Borrower and the
                  Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP,
                  to the extent utilized in determining such net income: (a)
                  extraordinary gains from sales, exchanges and other
                  dispositions of property not in the ordinary course of
                  business, and (b) other non-recurring items.

                  (c)   Section 3.1(a) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended
                        by deleting clause (i) thereof in its entirety and
                        inserting in lieu thereof the following:

                  "(i) ABR Advance shall bear interest, from and after the
                  Amendment No. 6 Effective Date, at a rate per annum equal to
                  the Alternate Base Rate plus 2%, provided that upon the
                  permanent reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Commitment (x)
                  to $30,000,000 or less, each ABR Advance shall bear interest,
                  from and after such date, at a rate per annum equal to the
                  Alternate Base Rate plus 1-1/2% and (y) to $25,000,000 or
                  less, each ABR Advance shall bear interest, from and after
                  such date, at a rate per annum equal to the Alternate Base
                  Rate plus 1%.

                  (d)   Section 3.1 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by
                        inserting the following new subsection (e) at the end
                        thereof:


                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3

                        "(e) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary,
                        from and after the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date, all
                        Revolving Loans shall be made or maintained as ABR
                        Advances and may not be converted to Eurodollar
                        Advances."

                  (e)   Section 7.1(j) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended
                        by deleting the number "10" appearing therein and
                        inserting in lieu thereof the number "20".

                  (f)   Section 7.1(l) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended
                        by deleting the words "the second to last Business Day
                        in each week" appearing therein and inserting in lieu
                        therefore the words "twenty (20) days prior to the
                        beginning of each fiscal quarter" and by deleting the
                        word "and" at the end thereof.

                  (g)   Section 7.1(m) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended
                        in its entirety to read as follows:

                  "(m) monthly, a status update on the Borrower's efforts to
                  obtain subordinated financing and/or equity investments and
                  not later than October 15, 1999, a written report to the
                  Lenders as to the Borrower's plans to refinance or resyndicate
                  the obligations under the Loan Documents; and"

                  (h)   Section 7.1 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by
                        inserting the following new subsection (n) at the end
                        thereof:

                  "(n) within 75 days of the end of each fiscal quarter, a
                  review performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (or such other
                  financial consultant reasonably acceptable to the
                  Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders) of all of the
                  financial statements and reporting requirements required to be
                  delivered to the Agent and the Lenders under this Agreement
                  during the immediately preceding fiscal quarter."

                  (i)   Section 8.14(a) of the Credit Agreement is hereby
                        amended in its entirety to read as follows:

                  "(a) Consolidated EBITDA. The Borrower shall not permit
                  Consolidated EBITDA to be less than the amounts set forth
                  below for the fiscal quarters ending on the dates set forth
                  below:


                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                  Fiscal Quarter Ending            Consolidated EBITDA
                  ---------------------            -------------------
                  <S>                                 <C>
                  March 31, 1999                      $  200,000
                  June 30, 1999                       $1,000,000
                  September 30, 1999                  $2,000,000
                  December 31, 1999                   $3,000,000"
</TABLE>

                  (j)   Section 8.14(b) of the Credit Agreement is hereby
                        amended in its entirety to read as follows:

                  "(b) Ratio of Total Liabilities to Tangible Net Worth. The
                  Borrower shall not permit the ratio of (i) Consolidated Total
                  Liabilities to (ii) Consolidated Tangible Net Worth to exceed,
                  as of the last day of each fiscal quarter set forth below, the
                  ratios set forth below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                  Fiscal Quarter Ending                        Ratio
                  ---------------------                        -----
                  <S>                                       <C>
                  March 31, 1999                             7.20 : 1.00
                  June 30, 1999                             11.00 : 1.00
                  September 30, 1999                        11.00 : 1.00
                  December 31, 1999                         10.00 : 1.00"
</TABLE>

                  (k)   Section 8.14(c) of the Credit Agreement is hereby
                        amended in its entirety to read as follows:

                  "(c) Consolidated Working Capital. The Borrower shall not
                  permit Consolidated Working Capital to be less than, as of the
                  last day of each fiscal quarter set forth below, the amounts
                  opposite the dates set forth below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      Consolidated
                  Fiscal Quarter Ending              Working Capital
                  ---------------------              ---------------
                  <S>                                 <C>
                  March 31, 1999                      ($4,000,000)
                  June 30, 1999                       ($5,500,000)
                  September 30, 1999                  ($5,500,000)
                  December 31, 1999                   ($4,500,000)"
</TABLE>

                  (l)   Section 8.14(d) of the Credit Agreement is hereby
                        amended in its entirety to read as follows:


                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5

                  "(d) Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio. The Borrower shall not
                  permit the ratio of (i) Consolidated EBITDA to (ii) interest
                  expense plus Capital Expenditures to be less than, as of the
                  last day of each fiscal quarter set forth below, the ratios
                  set forth below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                  Fiscal Quarter Ending                        Ratio
                  ---------------------                        -----
                  <S>                                       <C>
                  June 30, 1999                              .50 : 1.00
                  September 30, 1999                         .75 : 1.00
                  December 31, 1999                         1.00 : 1.00"
</TABLE>

                  (m)   Section 8.14(e) of the Credit Agreement is hereby
                        amended in its entirety to read as follows:

                  "(e) Consolidated Tangible Net Worth. The Borrower shall not
                  permit Consolidated Tangible Net Worth to be less than, as of
                  the last day of each fiscal quarter set forth below, the
                  amounts opposite the dates set forth below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     Consolidated
                  Fiscal Quarter Ending            Tangible Net Worth
                  ---------------------            ------------------
                  <S>                                 <C>
                  March 31, 1999                      $10,000,000
                  June 30, 1999                       $ 7,000,000
                  September 30, 1999                  $ 7,000,000
                  December 31, 1999                   $ 8,000,000"
</TABLE>

                  (n)   Section 8.14(f) of the Credit Agreement is hereby
                        amended in its entirety to read as follows:

                  "(f) Capital Expenditures. The Borrower shall not make any
                  Capital Expenditures (or incur any obligation to make any
                  Capital Expenditure) or permit any of its Subsidiaries to do
                  so, in any fiscal quarter in an aggregate amount in excess of
                  the amounts set forth below for such fiscal quarter (provided,
                  that any amounts not actually expended in a fiscal quarter may
                  be carried over and expended in the immediately succeeding
                  fiscal quarter):

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                  Fiscal Quarter Ending           Amount
                  ---------------------           ------
                  <S>                           <C>
                  March 31, 1999                $  700,000
</TABLE>


                                      -5-
<PAGE>   6

<TABLE>
                  <S>                           <C>
                  June 30, 1999                 $  800,000
                  September 30, 1999            $1,300,000
                  December 31, 1999             $1,800,000"
</TABLE>

            SECTION 3. This Amendment and Waiver shall not become effective
until the date (the "Amendment No. 6 Effective Date") on which each of the
following has occurred:

                  (a)   The Administrative Agent shall have executed this
                        Amendment and Waiver and shall have received the consent
                        thereto of each of the Lenders, the Borrower and the
                        Subsidiary Guarantors;

                  (b)   After giving effect to this Amendment and Waiver (i) the
                        Borrower shall be in compliance with all of the terms
                        and provisions set forth in the Credit Agreement to be
                        observed and performed by it; (ii) all representations
                        and warranties contained in Article 4 of the Credit
                        Agreement shall be true and correct in all material
                        respects on and as of the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date
                        with the same effect as if made on and as of such date
                        except to the extent such representations and warranties
                        expressly relate to an earlier date; and (iii) no Event
                        of Default or event which upon notice or lapse of time
                        or both would constitute an Event of Default shall have
                        occurred and be continuing; and

                  (c)   The Administrative Agent shall have received such other
                        documents as it shall reasonably request.

            SECTION 4. The Borrower agrees to deliver to the Lenders, within
five (5) Business Days of the Amendment No. 6 Effective Date, warrants to
purchase common stock of Borrower having substantially the terms set forth on
Exhibit I to this Amendment and Waiver, provided that the failure to do so
shall, upon written notice to the Borrower, constitute an Event of Default under
the Credit Agreement.

            SECTION 5. The Borrower agrees to pay to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
all reasonable fees and disbursements of such firm in connection with the
transactions contemplated hereby promptly upon the presentation of an invoice
therefor. The Borrower authorizes and directs the Administrative Agent to debit
the Borrower's operating account (Account No. 690-0761641) and pay such amounts
no earlier than three (3) days subsequent to such presentation.


                                      -6-
<PAGE>   7

            SECTION 6. By their execution at the foot hereof, each of the
Borrower and each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby reaffirms and admits the validity
and enforce ability of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents and all
of its obligations thereunder and admits that it has no defense, offset or
counterclaim thereto.

            SECTION 7. This Amendment and Waiver and the consents hereto may be
executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original and
all of which shall constitute one agreement. It shall not be necessary in making
proof of this Amendment and Waiver and the consents hereto to produce or account
for more than one counterpart signed by the party to be charged.

            SECTION 8. This Amendment and Waiver is being delivered in and is
intended to be performed in the State of New York and shall be construed and
enforceable in accordance with, and be governed by, the internal laws of the
State of New York without regard to principles of conflict of laws.


                                       -7-
<PAGE>   8

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                           AMENDMENT NO. 6 AND WAIVER
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent have caused
this Amendment and Waiver to be duly executed and delivered by their proper and
duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

                              ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.

                              By:_______________________________________
                              Name:_____________________________________
                              Title:____________________________________


                              THE BANK OF NEW YORK, individually
                              and as Administrative Agent

                              By:_______________________________________
                              Name:_____________________________________
                              Title:____________________________________


                                       -8-
<PAGE>   9

                         ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                          AMENDMENT NO. 6 AND WAIVER
                      TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

FIRST UNION NATIONAL BANK


By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


                                       -9-
<PAGE>   10

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                           AMENDMENT NO. 6 AND WAIVER
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

FLEET BANK, N.A.


By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


                                      -10-
<PAGE>   11

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                           AMENDMENT NO. 6 AND WAIVER
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

SYSTEMATION ENGINEERED PRODUCTS, INC.
VANGUARD AUTOMATION, INC.

AS TO EACH OF THE FOREGOING

By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


NORTHEAST ROBOTICS LLC
By:   Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
      as Sole Member and Manager
      of Acuity Imaging LLC,
      as Sole Member and Manager

By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


                                      -11-
<PAGE>   12

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                           AMENDMENT NO. 6 AND WAIVER
                        TO AND UNDER THE CREDIT AGREEMENT

CONSENTED TO:

ACUITY IMAGING LLC
By:   Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
      as Sole Member and Manager

By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


CIMATRIX LLC
By:   Robotic Vision Systems, Inc.
      as Sole Member and Manager

By:________________________________
Name:______________________________
Title:_____________________________


                                      -12-
<PAGE>   13

                                   SCHEDULE I

                          ROBOTIC VISION SYSTEMS, INC.
                          SUMMARY OF PROPOSED WARRANTS

            As consideration for the execution of Amendment No. 6 and Waiver to
the Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. ("RVSI") Credit Agreement dated as of March 18,
1998, as amended (the "Credit Agreement"), RVSI will issue to the Lenders
warrants (the "Warrants") having substantially the following terms:

      1.    Warrants will be issued to purchase an aggregate maximum of 750,000
            shares (on a fully diluted basis) of common stock, par value $.01
            per share of RVSI (the "Warrant Shares").

      2.    Warrant Shares will vest, and will be exercisable as follows:

            a.    250,000 Warrant Shares will vest immediately and will be
                  exercisable from the date of issuance of the Warrants until
                  April 15, 2003.

            b.    250,000 Warrant Shares will vest upon the Lenders (or their
                  assignees) entering into an extension (of not less than one
                  year) of the maturity date of the Credit Agreement, and will
                  be exercisable from the date of vesting until April 15, 2003.

            c.    250,000 shares will vest upon the Lenders (or their assignees)
                  entering into an additional extension (of not less than an
                  additional 1 year) of the maturity date of the Credit
                  Agreement (provided that if the initial extension in (b) above
                  is for not less than a 2-year period, all 500,000 shares shall
                  vest at that time) and shall be exercisable from the date of
                  vesting until to April 15, 2003.

            d.    Upon the occurrence of a "Change of Control" (to be defined
                  substantially as provided for in clauses (ii) and (iii) of the
                  definition of "First Exercise Date" in the Zanett Prepaid
                  Common Stock Purchase Warrant), the Warrants described in (b)
                  and (c) above shall immediately vest and shall be exercisable
                  from such date until April 15, 2003.

      3.    Exercise price of $4.02 per share for all Warrant Shares.

      4.    Warrants shall be issued pro rata to the Lenders based upon their
            respective Revolving Commitments.

      5.    Warrants to contain anti-dilution provisions and to be entitled to
            piggyback registration rights substantially similar to the Zanett
            Incentive Stock Purchase Warrants.

<PAGE>   14

      6.    Warrants to be assignable only upon assignment of (and together
            with) an assignment of such Lender's Revolving Commitment and Note.

      7.    Warrants to contain such other terms as the Lenders may reasonably
            require.


<PAGE>   1

                                                                   EXHIBIT 23(A)


                         INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT



     We consent to the use in this Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No.
333-76927 of Robotic Vision Systems, Inc. of our report dated January 18, 1999,
appearing in the Prospectus, which is part of such Registration Statement, and
to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Prospectus.


                                                 /s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
                                              ----------------------------------
                                                    Deloitte & Touche LLP

Boston, Massachusetts

June 11, 1999



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