A system to detect a feature in an input image comprising a processor to evaluate a model including: four layers including: a supragranular layer, a granular layer, a first infragranular layer, and a second infragranular layer, each of the layers including a base connection structure including: an excitatory layer including a excitatory neurons arranged in a two dimensional grid; and an inhibitory layer including a inhibitory neurons arranged in a two dimensional grid; within-layer connections between the neurons of each layer in accordance with a Gaussian distribution; between-layer connections between the neurons of different layers, the probability of a neuron of a first layer of the different layers to a neuron of a second layer of the different layers in accordance with a uniform distribution; and input connections from lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) neurons of an input LGN layer to the granular layer in accordance with a uniform distribution.