Towards a Computational Model for Object Recognition in IT Cortex

There is considerable evidence that object recognition in primates is based on the detection of local image features of intermediate complexity that are largely invariant to imaging transformations. A computer vision system has been developed that performs object recognition using features with similar properties. Invariance to image translation, scale and rotation is achieved by first selecting stable key points in scale space and performing feature detection only at these locations. The features measure local image gradients in a manner modeled on the response of complex cells in primary visual cortex, and thereby obtain partial invariance to illumination, affine change, and other local distortions. The features are used as input to a nearest-neighbor indexing method and Hough transform that identify candidate object matches. Final verification of each match is achieved by finding a best-fit solution for the unknown model parameters and integrating the features consistent with these parameter values. This verification procedure provides a model for the serial process of attention in human vision that integrates features belonging to a single object. Experimental results show that this approach can achieve rapid and robust object recognition in cluttered partially-occluded images.