Researchers Identify Path to Emulate Visual Cortex V1 and V2 Layers Published Nov. 30, 2011 By Dr. Robinson Pino, RI/TC Information ROME, N.Y. -- The Air Force Research Laboratory's Computational Intelligence research group has developed a rapid prototype of the functions traditionally attributed to the visual Brodmann Area 18 (V2) "pale stripe" and has been built to assess "templating" as a plausible mechanism for form perception. V2 pale stripes are thought to detect a lexicon of spatial symbols whose complexity is modestly greater than the edge detections attributed to area V1. The prototype, based on hierarchical object recognition models, consists of a selected lexicon, a V1 to V2 mapping, and a distance calculation. Also, work is being done to incorporate timing-dependent plasticity feedback to V1, and a recurrent neural network point attractor for fusing multiple streams of evidence (feed forward, feedback and lateral context) into a perception belief. The vision of the Computational Intelligence group is to enable superior adaptive, intelligent and autonomous computing for the Air Force. Our advanced computing architectures division has foreseen the need to enable computing systems the ability to perform autonomous intelligent functions that will enhance the performance of the warfighter. Thus, the research group has been tasked to develop the next generation of emerging computing architecture that can perform intelligent tasks and learn autonomously.