1. An image processing system comprising: an input signal representative of an element of an image; a processor configured to extract information from the input signal and to encode the information in a pulsed output signal; and a plurality of channels that communicate the pulsed output signal, each of the plurality of channels being characterized by a latency, wherein the information is encoded as a pattern of relative pulse latencies observable in pulses communicated through the plurality of channels, and wherein the pattern of relative pulse latencies is insensitive to one or more of image contrast and image luminance.