Generalised cylinders can be used to represent approximately a wide range of shapes. Hierarchical systems allow the breakdown of complex shapes into simpler ones. I showed a slide of a hierarchical representation proposed for bipeds and quadrupeds. Product inspection - from printed circuit boards to fruit and fish. Autonomous vehicles - cars that drive themselves on freeways and autobahns, lunar and martian rangers.
Progress is slow.
Techniques are fragmentary. Computer vision doesn't compete with human vision - or even bee vision. Some programs are becoming adaptive - they use the changing nature of the environment. Further reading See the ATCS course handout for bibliographic details. Sharples et al.