Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the recognition of objects liable to overlap, on the basis of reference images of said objects and the image of the group of said objects.The process consists of coding successive elementary segments, whose ends are substantially located on the contour of each image in the "learning" phase of the contour of each object and in the object recognition phase. Pairs of characteristic segments in the contour of each image are then investigated, each characteristic segment being oriented and defined by its oriented angle, its length and its origin. Each pair giving a good image discrimination is called a transition vector. These vectors are hierarchized for the reference images and compared with the transition vectors of the image of the objects to be recognized. For any object assumed to be recognized, a fine verification takes place on the elementary segments.Application to the recognition or identification of objects and to artificial vision in robotics.