Analog VLSI circuits for sensory attentive processing

Analog VLSI circuits that perform the selection process for attentive sensory processing are presented. These circuits use excitatory feedback in a winner-take-all computation to produce a hysteresis in the selection from one location to the next. They also use an inhibitory mechanism to disengage attention so that more than one stimulus is attended, even when the inputs remain static. These circuits have been implemented in analog VLSI chips that sense and process optical input to select salient objects from the visual field. Data from the fabricated chips are shown, demonstrating the operation of the resulting system