The Continuous Retina: Image Processing with a Single-sensor Artificial Neural Field Network

Silicon retinas are typically implemented with multiple photosensors. Recent work with VLSI extended analog computers has led to a single-photosensor retina. It is called a continuous retina because the image focused on it generates a current gradient within the sensor, as opposed to independent currents in multiple sensors. The current gradient is discretized into an analog output vector, then classified by a trainable on-chip artificial neural field network. The continuous retina is compact. A VLSI implementation that recognizes several letters fits onto one MOSIS "TinyChip".