The idea for specialized centres was first presented at the Sommet économique de Québec. Then, in 1983, six of these centres were established to facilitate Quebec’s economic recovery by making CEGEPs the driving force behind regional and technological development in the province. In 1984, three more specialized centres were recognized, including CRVI, which first began as a department at Cégep de Lévis-Lauzon.

By 1988, the specialized centres were struggling, so their leaders decided to join forces and work together. Their efforts were officially recognized in 1992, with the launch of the Regroupement des centres spécialisés du Québec. A year later, the group was renamed the Centres collégiaux de transfert de technologie (college centres for the transfer of technology, or CCTT in the French acronym) and its members became CCTs. The group was the rebranded the Trans-Tech Network in 1994, before finally taking on its current name of Synchronex.

Over a decade after its creation, the CCTT at Cégep de Lévis-Lauzon had grown to become the Centre de Robotique industrielle inc. (CRI): a member corporation of the Synchronex network, with its own staff, equipment and labs. In 2006, it was once again renamed, this time as the Centre de robotique et de vision industrielles inc. to better represent its expertise.