Structural-functional organization of the visual system in ensuring goal-directed activity

A review of the results of half a century of research into the visual system as a hierarchical structure is presented: a multichannel, multilayer “pyramid”, each layer of which has a different spatiotemporal resolution, but together provides an invariant description of images for their classification, decision making, organization of eye movements and target search. An analysis of the multichannel organization of the human visual system was carried out, as the most effective and most economical. The “periscope and telescopic vision” systems, unique in their morphological and functional characteristics, are identified, providing gaze translation and recognition when searching and achieving a goal. Models of the pyramidal organization of the visual system have justified their existence by having an exceptional influence on the development of engineering solutions for the design of recognition systems operating in real time and the creation of artificial neural networks.