An image processor comprises image processing circuitry implementing a plurality of processing layers including at least an evaluation layer and a recognition layer. The evaluation layer comprises a software-implemented portion and a hardware-implemented portion, with the software-implemented portion of the evaluation layer being configured to generate first object data of a first precision level using a software algorithm, and the hardware-implemented portion of the evaluation layer being configured to generate second object data of a second precision level lower than the first precision level using a hardware algorithm. The evaluation layer further comprises a signal combiner configured to combine the first and second object data to generate output object data for delivery to the recognition layer. By way of example only, the evaluation layer may be implemented in the form of an evaluation subsystem of a gesture recognition system of the image processor.