CANTON, Mass., Aug. 10 -- Robotic Vision Systems Inc. has received orders from two customers for its newest semiconductor lead scanning and taping systems. The orders, valued at $4.7 million, were placed by a major Taiwan-based provider of integrated circuit packaging and testing services and by a southern California-based semiconductor manufacturer. Pat V. Costa, RVSI's chairman and CEO, said the sales are evidence of the recovery in the semiconductor industry and of the strong demand for capital equipment as chip manufacturers expand capacity. We are seeing a return to the large, multi-system orders that were characteristic of the industry prior to the 1997-1998 downturn, he said. RVSI Electronics booked orders for 20 lead scanners in July alone; as many orders as were received in the first quarter of this fiscal year. The orders we are announcing today are in addition to those 20 units already booked this quarter. Even three months ago, multiple orders such as these were no more than opportunities on the horizon.