We present a simple augmented reality system using a neural network inspired by the biological vision system. It uses a feature-based recognition system developed in the C# programming environment. It uses OpenCV for feature detection and extraction, a self-organizing map (SOM) for picture recognition, and Microsoft WPF 3D for rendering 3D objects on the screen. This paper describes the characteristics of augmented reality system. For image recognition, the global representation of images are used as image fea- tures. We explore different global features that can be used to improve the recognition and discuss how the self-organizing map (SOM) is trained using these global features using an unsupervised learning algorithm. The SOM is a two-layer neural network comprising the input layer and the competition layer that is a grid of neurons. Each neuron is represented by a vector that has the same dimension as an input feature vector. During the training, the SOM groups the similar pictures together in the competition layer and chooses a neuron for each group.

We describe the process of building an augmented reality system using the self-organizing map. Using a webcam as a visual sensor, the system is presented with a sequence of in- put images that are processed frame by frame. On receiving an input image, the system detects a rectangle of interest in the input image by analyzing contours from the edges ex- tracted with an edge detection algorithm in OpenCV. From the picture within the rectangle of interest, a feature vector is extracted and later fed into the neural network for picture recognition. Picture recognition is done by choosing the best representative neuron that represents a group of pictures in the competition layer, and then choosing the most similar picture in the group. Once a picture is recognized, a 3D object corresponding to the picture is rendered on the screen using WPF 3D.