ABSTRACT
The extraction of information from images is still an active area after decades of quality research. As we have discovered over the past decades, the mammalian visual cortex is actually a complicated machine that reaches decisions based on collective responses of its neurons and the success of such a system is unchallenged. This approach is far different from the von Neumann methods of our digital computers. Therefore, it becomes logical to approach the task of extracting image information by first emulating the processes of the visual cortex. Models such as the pulse-coupled neural network and the Intersecting Cortical Model emulate the mechanics of the neuron responses and have successfully been applied to multiple image-processing applications. These models have been realized in software, electronic hardware, and optical systems.
