1. A computer-implemented method of visual identification of an item selected by a person during a transaction, the transaction occurring within an environment having a plurality of items corresponding to a plurality of predefined item types, each item type of the predefined item types having a predefined association with respective item information stored in a computer-readable memory, the method comprising: acquiring, using a visual sensor disposed within the environment, image information that includes at least a portion of the selected item; analyzing, using image processing techniques performed by one or more computer processors communicatively coupled with the visual sensor, the image information to determine a set of possible items of the plurality of items for classifying the selected item; accessing, using the one or more computer processors, personal profile information stored in the computer-readable memory and associated with the person, the personal profile information being associated with one or more items of the plurality of items; selecting, based on the personal profile information, one of the set of possible items to thereby identify the selected item as one item type of the plurality of predefined item types; and updating, based on the item information associated with the one item type, one or both of the personal profile information and a virtual transaction record stored in the computer-readable memory, the virtual transaction record associated with the person during the transaction.