EXHIBIT 10E

                               COGNEX CORPORATION

         Amendment to 1993 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors


         The Cognex Corporation 1993 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee
Directors (the "Plan") is hereby amended as follows:

         1.       Section 8 of the Plan is hereby deleted in its entirety and
the following is substituted therefor:

                  "8.      TRANSFERABILITY OF OPTIONS

                  Any Option granted pursuant to this Plan shall not be
                  assignable or transferable other than by will or the laws of
                  descent and distribution, except that an optionee may transfer
                  Options granted under this Plan to the optionee's spouse or
                  children or to a trust for the benefit of the optionee or the
                  optionee's spouse or children."

         2.       Except as modified hereby, the Plan is hereby ratified and
confirmed in all respects.

                                            COGNEX CORPORATION



                                            By: \s\ Anthony J. Medaglia, Jr.
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Clerk

Adopted by the Board of Directors:
     December 16, 1997