A recognizing and judging apparatus for a learning and recognizing processing to be effectively performed in a short period of time, the apparatus including a plurality of recognition units in a multi-layered hierarchical network structure with one or more path output terminals of the recognition units of an upper layer being connected with one or more path input terminals of the recognition units of a lower layer. The recognition unit comprises a vector signal input structure for inputting a plurality of input signals for showing characteristics of an object to be recognized, a path signal transmitting information computing structure for converting an input signal vector from the vector signal input structure into a path signal transmitting information and a path signal transmitting structure having one or more path input terminals for inputting a path signal and one or more path output terminals for outputting the path signal to transmit the path signal from the path input terminals to the path output terminals according to the path signal transmitting information.
Object recognition apparatus using a hierarchical network of recognition units