1. A system for segmenting an image and extracting objects and features therefrom, comprising: a) image preprocessing means for receiving and analyzing information representative of maps, images, data or a combination thereof, said image preprocessing means comprising: i) means for retrieving an original image, each pixel of which has a value represented by a predetermined number of bits, n; ii) means for transforming said original image into at least two distinct bands, each of said pixels in each of the band-images comprising no more than n bits; iii) means for protecting each of said transformed, band-images, into a composite domain; and iv) means for creating a composite image from all of said transformed, band-images; b) main processing means operatively connected to said image preprocessing means, for analyzing preprocessed information in accordance with interrogation rules; c) a knowledge base, operatively connected to said image processing means, for storing rules and models and for matching analyzed information from said main processing means with said stored models; and d) means for outputting, operatively connected to said main processing means and to said image preprocessing means, for displaying images and for providing object files to said image preprocessing means.