A computer-implemented system and method for estimating properties of objects represented in digital images, comprising the steps of (a) encoding input data from a sensor in a neural map comprising neurons having numerical activation values, wherein the activation values in the neural maps have continuous time dynamics defined by an update scheme; (b) creating, adapting and deleting weights of the neural map in unsupervised, incremental manner; (c) transmitting data from an input map to an output map, based on the values of the weights; wherein each weight between the input map (IM) and a neural output map (OM) has a unique source and destination neuron; and wherein data transmission is directed; and (d) detecting correlations between the input map (IM).