1. A system for determining the position and orientation of a target object in a digitized image, said system comprising: an edge detector for processing the digitized image to produce edge data representative of edges of the target object; model storage means for storing model data corresponding to a model object of the target object that is to be detected, which model data comprises a plurality of data points disposed along edges of the model object; minimum distance vector calculation means for processing the edge data and the model data to produce a set of minimum distance vectors between the target object and the model object; a neural network, responsive to the minimum distance vector calculation means, for estimating distortions of the model object relative to the target object; and position and orientation adjustment means, responsive to the neural network and the model storage means, for adjusting the position and orientation of the model object relative to the target object based upon the distortions estimated by the neural network; wherein iterative calculation of the minimum distance vectors, estimation of the distortions, and adjustment of the position of the model object is adapted to reposition and reorient the model object until the model object substantially overlays the target object, whereby the final position and orientation of the model object provides an estimate of the position and orientation of the target object in the digitized image.