1. A computer-implemented system for determining an identity of a sensed object or a state of a sensed object associated with spatial patterns and temporal sequences in input data, the input data representing at least one of image, video, audio, text, weather conditions, tactile data or data associated with operation of a machine, comprising: a hierarchy of computing modules configured to receive first input data to learn spatial patterns and temporal sequences in the first input data associated with a sensed object or a state of a sensed object in a learning stage, the hierarchy in an inference stage subsequent to the learning stage further configured to receive second input data and generate identity information representing probabilities that spatial patterns and temporal sequences in the second input data correspond to the spatial patterns and temporal sequences learned by the hierarchy in the learning stage, the hierarchy of computing modules comprising: a first module configured to output first information about patterns responsive to receiving a first spatial pattern in the second input data, the first information about patterns representing information about spatial patterns and temporal sequences in the second input data corresponding to the learned spatial patterns and temporal sequences, the first module configured to output the same first information about patterns responsive to receiving a second spatial pattern in the second input data within a spatial distance from the first spatial pattern; and a second module associated with the first module to receive the first information, the second module configured to generate the identity information, wherein the identity information is one of displayed, output for controlling a physical object or stored in a storage medium, for identification of a sensed object or a state of a sensed object.