We propose an object-based multimedia model for specifying the QoS (quality of service) requirements, such as the maximum data-dropping rate or the maximum data-delay rate. We also present a resource allocation model, called the net-profit model, in which the satisfaction of user¡¦s QoS requirements is measured by the benefit earned by the system. Based on the net-profit model, the system is rewarded if it can allocate enough resources to a multimedia delivery request and fulfill the QoS requirements specified by the user. At the same time, the system is penalized if it cannot allocate enough resources to a multimedia delivery request. In this dissertation, we present our research in developing optimal solutions for multimedia stream delivery in bandwidth limited networks. To fulfill the QoS requirements, the resource, such as bandwidth, should be reserved in advance. Hence, we first investigate how to allocate a resource such that the QoS satisfaction is maximized, assuming that the QoS requirements are given a priori. The proposed optimal solution has significant improvement over the based line algorithm, EDF (Earliest Deadline First). Among all the optimal solutions found from the above problem, the net-profit may be distributed unevenly among the multimedia delivery requests. Furthermore, we tackle the fairness problem -- how to allocate a resource efficiently so that the difference of the net-profit between two requests is minimized over all the possible optimal solutions of the maximum total net-profit. A dynamic programming based algorithm is proposed to find all the possible optimal solutions and, in addition, three filters are conducted to improve the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. The experimental results show that the filters prune out unnecessary searches and improve the performance significantly, especially when the number of tasks increases. For some multimedia objects, they might need to be delivered in whole, indivisible, so we extend the proposed multimedia object-based model to indivisible objects. A dynamic programming based algorithm is presented to find an optimal solution of the delivery problem, where the total net-profit is maximized.

Understanding, monitoring and managing savanna ecosystems require characterizing both functional and structural properties of vegetation. Due to functional diversity and structural heterogeneity in savannas, characterizing these properties using remote sensing is methodologically challenging. Focusing on the semi-arid savanna in the central Kalahari, the objective of this dissertation was to combine in situ data with multi-scale satellite imagery and two image analysis approaches (i.e. Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA) and Object Based Image Analysis (OBIA)) to : (i) determine the superior method for estimating fractional photosynthetic vegetation (fPV), non-photosynthetic vegetation (fNPV) and bare soil (fBS) when high spatial resolution multispectral imagery is used, (ii) examine the suitability of OBIA for mapping vegetation morphology types using a Landsat TM imagery, (iii) examine the impact of changing spatial resolution on magnitude and accuracy of fractional cover and (iv) examine how the fractional cover magnitude and accuracy are spatially associated with vegetation morphology. Using the GeoEye-1 imagery, MESMA provided more accurate fractional cover estimates than OBIA. The increasing segmentation scale in OBIA resulted in a consistent increase in error. While areas under woody cover produced lower errors even at coarse segmentation scales, those with herbaceous cover provided low errors only at the fine segmentation scale. Vegetation morphology type mapping results suggest that classes with dominant woody life forms attained higher accuracy at fine segmentation scales, while those with dominant herbaceous vegetation reached higher classification accuracy at coarse segmentation scales. Contrarily, for bare areas accuracy was relatively unaffected by changing segmentation scale. Multi-scale fractional cover mapping results indicate that increasing pixel size caused consistent increases in variance of and error in fractional cover estimates. Even at a coarse spatial resolution, fPV was estimated with higher accuracy compared to fNPV and fBS. At a larger pixel size, in areas with dominant woody vegetation, fPV was overestimated at the cost of mainly underestimating fBS; in contrast, in areas with dominant herbaceous vegetation, fNPV was overestimated with a corresponding underestimation of both fPV and fBS. These results underscore that structural and functional heterogeneity in savannas impact retrieval of fractional cover, suggesting that comprehensive remote sensing of savannas needs to take both structure and cover into account. / text

The aim of this study is to compare remote sensing methods in the context of a vegetation mapping of an urban environment. The methods used was (1) a traditional per-pixel based method; maximum likelihood supervised classification (ENVI), (2) a standard object based method; example based feature extraction (ENVI) and (3) a newly developed method; Window Independent Contextual Segmentation (WICS) (Choros Cognition). A four-band SPOT5 image with a pixel size of 10x10m was used for the classifications. A validation data-set was created using a ortho corrected aerial image with a pixel size of 1x1m. Error matrices was created by cross-tabulating the classified images with the validation data-set. From the error matrices, overall accuracy and kappa coefficient was calculated. The object-based method performed best with a overall accuracy of 80% and a kappa value of 0.6, followed by the WICS method with an overall accuracy of 77% and a kappa value of 0.53, placing the supervised classification last with an overall accuracy of 71% and a kappa value of 0.38. The results of this study suggests object-based method and WICS to perform better than the supervised classification in an urban environment.

Câmaras não métricas acopladas a Veículos Aéreos Não Tripulados (VANT) possibilitam coleta de imagens com alta resolução espacial e temporal. Além disso, o custo de operação e manutenção desses equipamentos são reduzidos. A classificação da cobertura da terra por meio dessas imagens são dificultadas devido à alta variabilidade espectral dos alvos e ao grande volume de dados gerados. Esses contratempos são contornados utilizando Análise de Imagens Baseada em Objetos (Object-Based Image Analysis – OBIA) e algoritmos de mineração de dados. Um algoritmo empregado na OBIA são as Árvores de Decisão (AD). Essa técnica possibilita tanto a seleção de atributos mais informativos quanto a classificação das regiões. Novas técnicas de AD foram desenvolvidas e, nessas inovações, foram inseridas funções para selecionar atributos e para melhorar a classificação. Um exemplo é o algoritmo C5.0, que possui uma função de redução de dados e uma de reforço. Nesse contexto, este trabalho tem como objetivo (i) avaliar o método de segmentação por crescimento de regiões em imagens com altíssima resolução espacial, (ii) determinar os atributos preditivos mais importantes na discriminação das classes e (iii) avaliar as classificações das regiões em relação aos parâmetros de seleção dos atributos (winnow) e de reforço (trial), que estão contidos no algoritmo C5.0. A segmentação da imagem foi efetuada no programa Spring, já as regiões geradas na segmentação foram classificadas pelo modelo de AD C5.0, que está disponível no programa R. Como resultado foi identificado que a segmentação crescimento de regiões possibilitou uma alta correspondência com regiões geradas pelo especialista, resultando em valores de Reference Bounded Segments Booster (RBSB) próximos a 0. Os atributos mais importantes na construção dos modelos por AD foram a razão entre a banda do verde com a azul (r_v_a) e o Modelo Digital de Elevação (MDE). Para o parâmetro de reforço (trial), não foi identificada melhora na acurácia da classificação ao aumentar seu valor. Já o parâmetro winnow possibilitou uma redução no número de atributos preditivos, sem perdas estatisticamente significativas na acurácia da classificação. A função de reforço (trial) não melhorou a classificação da cobertura da terra. Também não foram constatadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas quando winnow selecionado como verdadeiro, mas se encontrou o benefício desse último parâmetro reduzindo a dimensionalidade dos dados. Nesse sentido, este trabalho contribuiu para a classificação da cobertura da terra em imagens coletadas por VANT, uma vez que se desenvolveu algoritmos para automatizar os processos da OBIA e para avaliar a classificação das regiões em relação às funções de reforço (winnow) e de seleção do atributo (winnow) do classificador por árvore de decisão C5.0. / Non-metric cameras attached to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) enable collection of images with high spatial and temporal resolution. In addition, the cost of operation and maintenance of equipment are reduced. The land cover classification through these images are hampered due to high spectral variability of the targets and the large volume of data generated. These setbacks are contoured using Image Analysis Based on Objects (OBIA) and data mining algorithms. An algorithm used in OBIA are Decision Trees (AD). This technique allows the selection of the most informative attributes as the classification of regions. New AD techniques have been developed and these innovations, were functions inserted to select attributes and to improve classification. One example is a C5.0 algorithm, which has a data reduction function and of boosting. In this context, this paper aims to (i) evaluate the segmentation method for growing regions in images with high spatial resolution, (ii) determine the most important predictive attributes in the discrimination of classes and (iii) evaluate the classifications of regions regarding the attributes selection parameters (winnow) and boosting (trial), which are contained in the C5.0 algorithm. The image segmentation was performed in Spring program, since the regions generated in segmentation were classified by model C5.0 , which is available in the program R. As a result it was identified that the segmentation by region growing provided a high correlation with regions generated by the expert, resulting in Reference Bounded Segments Booster values (RBSB) near 0. The most important features in the construction of models of decision tree are the ratio between the band of green with the blue (r_v_a) and the Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Was not identified improvement in classification accuracy when was increased value of trial parameter. Already winnow parameter enabled a reduction in the number of predictive attributes, with no statistically significant losses in the accuracy of the classification. The boosting function (trial) did not improve the classification of land cover. Also were not found statistically significant differences when winnow selected as true, but was found the benefit of the latter parameter to reducing the dimensionality of the data. Thus, this work contributed to the land cover classification in images collected by UAV, once that were developed algorithms to automate the processes of integration OBIA and decision tree (C5.0).

Câmaras não métricas acopladas a Veículos Aéreos Não Tripulados (VANT) possibilitam coleta de imagens com alta resolução espacial e temporal. Além disso, o custo de operação e manutenção desses equipamentos são reduzidos. A classificação da cobertura da terra por meio dessas imagens são dificultadas devido à alta variabilidade espectral dos alvos e ao grande volume de dados gerados. Esses contratempos são contornados utilizando Análise de Imagens Baseada em Objetos (Object-Based Image Analysis – OBIA) e algoritmos de mineração de dados. Um algoritmo empregado na OBIA são as Árvores de Decisão (AD). Essa técnica possibilita tanto a seleção de atributos mais informativos quanto a classificação das regiões. Novas técnicas de AD foram desenvolvidas e, nessas inovações, foram inseridas funções para selecionar atributos e para melhorar a classificação. Um exemplo é o algoritmo C5.0, que possui uma função de redução de dados e uma de reforço. Nesse contexto, este trabalho tem como objetivo (i) avaliar o método de segmentação por crescimento de regiões em imagens com altíssima resolução espacial, (ii) determinar os atributos preditivos mais importantes na discriminação das classes e (iii) avaliar as classificações das regiões em relação aos parâmetros de seleção dos atributos (winnow) e de reforço (trial), que estão contidos no algoritmo C5.0. A segmentação da imagem foi efetuada no programa Spring, já as regiões geradas na segmentação foram classificadas pelo modelo de AD C5.0, que está disponível no programa R. Como resultado foi identificado que a segmentação crescimento de regiões possibilitou uma alta correspondência com regiões geradas pelo especialista, resultando em valores de Reference Bounded Segments Booster (RBSB) próximos a 0. Os atributos mais importantes na construção dos modelos por AD foram a razão entre a banda do verde com a azul (r_v_a) e o Modelo Digital de Elevação (MDE). Para o parâmetro de reforço (trial), não foi identificada melhora na acurácia da classificação ao aumentar seu valor. Já o parâmetro winnow possibilitou uma redução no número de atributos preditivos, sem perdas estatisticamente significativas na acurácia da classificação. A função de reforço (trial) não melhorou a classificação da cobertura da terra. Também não foram constatadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas quando winnow selecionado como verdadeiro, mas se encontrou o benefício desse último parâmetro reduzindo a dimensionalidade dos dados. Nesse sentido, este trabalho contribuiu para a classificação da cobertura da terra em imagens coletadas por VANT, uma vez que se desenvolveu algoritmos para automatizar os processos da OBIA e para avaliar a classificação das regiões em relação às funções de reforço (winnow) e de seleção do atributo (winnow) do classificador por árvore de decisão C5.0. / Non-metric cameras attached to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) enable collection of images with high spatial and temporal resolution. In addition, the cost of operation and maintenance of equipment are reduced. The land cover classification through these images are hampered due to high spectral variability of the targets and the large volume of data generated. These setbacks are contoured using Image Analysis Based on Objects (OBIA) and data mining algorithms. An algorithm used in OBIA are Decision Trees (AD). This technique allows the selection of the most informative attributes as the classification of regions. New AD techniques have been developed and these innovations, were functions inserted to select attributes and to improve classification. One example is a C5.0 algorithm, which has a data reduction function and of boosting. In this context, this paper aims to (i) evaluate the segmentation method for growing regions in images with high spatial resolution, (ii) determine the most important predictive attributes in the discrimination of classes and (iii) evaluate the classifications of regions regarding the attributes selection parameters (winnow) and boosting (trial), which are contained in the C5.0 algorithm. The image segmentation was performed in Spring program, since the regions generated in segmentation were classified by model C5.0 , which is available in the program R. As a result it was identified that the segmentation by region growing provided a high correlation with regions generated by the expert, resulting in Reference Bounded Segments Booster values (RBSB) near 0. The most important features in the construction of models of decision tree are the ratio between the band of green with the blue (r_v_a) and the Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Was not identified improvement in classification accuracy when was increased value of trial parameter. Already winnow parameter enabled a reduction in the number of predictive attributes, with no statistically significant losses in the accuracy of the classification. The boosting function (trial) did not improve the classification of land cover. Also were not found statistically significant differences when winnow selected as true, but was found the benefit of the latter parameter to reducing the dimensionality of the data. Thus, this work contributed to the land cover classification in images collected by UAV, once that were developed algorithms to automate the processes of integration OBIA and decision tree (C5.0).

Câmaras não métricas acopladas a Veículos Aéreos Não Tripulados (VANT) possibilitam coleta de imagens com alta resolução espacial e temporal. Além disso, o custo de operação e manutenção desses equipamentos são reduzidos. A classificação da cobertura da terra por meio dessas imagens são dificultadas devido à alta variabilidade espectral dos alvos e ao grande volume de dados gerados. Esses contratempos são contornados utilizando Análise de Imagens Baseada em Objetos (Object-Based Image Analysis – OBIA) e algoritmos de mineração de dados. Um algoritmo empregado na OBIA são as Árvores de Decisão (AD). Essa técnica possibilita tanto a seleção de atributos mais informativos quanto a classificação das regiões. Novas técnicas de AD foram desenvolvidas e, nessas inovações, foram inseridas funções para selecionar atributos e para melhorar a classificação. Um exemplo é o algoritmo C5.0, que possui uma função de redução de dados e uma de reforço. Nesse contexto, este trabalho tem como objetivo (i) avaliar o método de segmentação por crescimento de regiões em imagens com altíssima resolução espacial, (ii) determinar os atributos preditivos mais importantes na discriminação das classes e (iii) avaliar as classificações das regiões em relação aos parâmetros de seleção dos atributos (winnow) e de reforço (trial), que estão contidos no algoritmo C5.0. A segmentação da imagem foi efetuada no programa Spring, já as regiões geradas na segmentação foram classificadas pelo modelo de AD C5.0, que está disponível no programa R. Como resultado foi identificado que a segmentação crescimento de regiões possibilitou uma alta correspondência com regiões geradas pelo especialista, resultando em valores de Reference Bounded Segments Booster (RBSB) próximos a 0. Os atributos mais importantes na construção dos modelos por AD foram a razão entre a banda do verde com a azul (r_v_a) e o Modelo Digital de Elevação (MDE). Para o parâmetro de reforço (trial), não foi identificada melhora na acurácia da classificação ao aumentar seu valor. Já o parâmetro winnow possibilitou uma redução no número de atributos preditivos, sem perdas estatisticamente significativas na acurácia da classificação. A função de reforço (trial) não melhorou a classificação da cobertura da terra. Também não foram constatadas diferenças estatisticamente significativas quando winnow selecionado como verdadeiro, mas se encontrou o benefício desse último parâmetro reduzindo a dimensionalidade dos dados. Nesse sentido, este trabalho contribuiu para a classificação da cobertura da terra em imagens coletadas por VANT, uma vez que se desenvolveu algoritmos para automatizar os processos da OBIA e para avaliar a classificação das regiões em relação às funções de reforço (winnow) e de seleção do atributo (winnow) do classificador por árvore de decisão C5.0. / Non-metric cameras attached to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) enable collection of images with high spatial and temporal resolution. In addition, the cost of operation and maintenance of equipment are reduced. The land cover classification through these images are hampered due to high spectral variability of the targets and the large volume of data generated. These setbacks are contoured using Image Analysis Based on Objects (OBIA) and data mining algorithms. An algorithm used in OBIA are Decision Trees (AD). This technique allows the selection of the most informative attributes as the classification of regions. New AD techniques have been developed and these innovations, were functions inserted to select attributes and to improve classification. One example is a C5.0 algorithm, which has a data reduction function and of boosting. In this context, this paper aims to (i) evaluate the segmentation method for growing regions in images with high spatial resolution, (ii) determine the most important predictive attributes in the discrimination of classes and (iii) evaluate the classifications of regions regarding the attributes selection parameters (winnow) and boosting (trial), which are contained in the C5.0 algorithm. The image segmentation was performed in Spring program, since the regions generated in segmentation were classified by model C5.0 , which is available in the program R. As a result it was identified that the segmentation by region growing provided a high correlation with regions generated by the expert, resulting in Reference Bounded Segments Booster values (RBSB) near 0. The most important features in the construction of models of decision tree are the ratio between the band of green with the blue (r_v_a) and the Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Was not identified improvement in classification accuracy when was increased value of trial parameter. Already winnow parameter enabled a reduction in the number of predictive attributes, with no statistically significant losses in the accuracy of the classification. The boosting function (trial) did not improve the classification of land cover. Also were not found statistically significant differences when winnow selected as true, but was found the benefit of the latter parameter to reducing the dimensionality of the data. Thus, this work contributed to the land cover classification in images collected by UAV, once that were developed algorithms to automate the processes of integration OBIA and decision tree (C5.0).

Land cover mapping is an important part of resource management, planning, and economic predictions. Improvements in remote sensing, machine learning, image processing, and object based image analysis (OBIA) has made the process of identifying land cover types increasingly faster and reliable but these advances are unable to utilize the amount of information encompassed within ultra-high (sub-meter) resolution imagery. Previously, users have typically reduced the resolution of imagery in an attempt to more closely represent the interpretation or object scale in an image and rid the image of any extraneous information within the image that may cause the OBIA process to identify too small of objects when performing semi-automated delineation of objects based on an images’ properties (Mas et al., 2015; Eiesank et al., 2014; Hu et al., 2010). There have been few known attempts to try and maximize this detailed information in high resolution imagery using advanced textural components. In this study we try to circumnavigate the inherent problems associated with high resolution imagery by combining well researched data transformations that aid the OBIA process with a seldom used texture transformation in Geographic Object Based Image Analyses (GEOBIA) known as the Gabor Transform and the hierarchal organization of landscapes. We will observe the difference made in segmentation and classification accuracy of a random forest classifier when we fuse a Gabor transformed image to a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), high resolution multi-spectral imagery (RGB and NIR) and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) derived canopy height model (CHM) within a riparian area in Southeast Iowa. Additionally, we will observe the effects on classification accuracy when adding multi-scale land cover data to objects. Both, the addition of hierarchical information and Gabor textural information, could aid the GEOBIA process in delineating and classifying the same objects that human experts would delineate within this riparian landscape.

<p>Several researchers have claimed that passively viewing manipulable objects results in automatic motor activation of affordances regardless of intention to act upon an object. Support for the <i>automatic activation account </i>stems primarily from findings using stimulus-response compatibility paradigms in which responses are fastest when there is correspondence between one’s response hand and an object’s handle. Counter to this view is the <i>spatial coding account</i>, which suggests that past findings are a result of abstract spatial codes stemming from salient object properties and their left-right correspondence with responses. Although there is now considerable support for this account, there has been little attention paid to determining whether evidence in favor of the automatic activation account will be evident after accounting for the spatial issues demonstrated by the spatial coding account.</p><p>The present study involved five experiments conducted to bridge this gap in two steps. First, I aimed to demonstrate the importance of considering spatial issues and left-right correspondence when studying object-based motor activation by numerous objects championed by past researchers who attempted to similarly address the aforementioned issue (Experiments 1 and 2). Second, I sought to determine whether evidence favoring the automatic activation account could be obtained when the possibility for left-right correspondence was absent in a novel set of stimuli created specifically for this purpose (Experiments 3, 4, and 5).</p><p>Experiment 1 examined a stimulus set that some researchers have suggested can more definitively tease apart evidence for automatic activation from the influence of spatial factors studies. Experiment 2 was more narrowly focused and investigated a single object presented in different horizontal orientations. These experiments effectively demonstrated the importance of giving more consideration to the nature of the stimuli used in object-based compatibility studies and how they are presented. The results of Experiment 1 suggest that a stimulus set that has been claimed to sidestep spatial confounds does not, in fact, do so. Moreover, Experiment 2 demonstrated that performance could be influenced by simple rotation of the object to which a response was required.</p><p>Having established the importance of controlling the stimuli used to investigate automatic activation of afforded responses, I turned to determining whether a novel stimulus set would yield findings favoring the automatic activation account even after accounting for left-right correspondence (Experiments 3, 4, and 5). Three sets of novel object stimuli were developed that do not allow for left-right correspondence and could iteratively assess support for the automatic activation account based on criteria for activation that have been put forth in the literature. The three sets of stimuli contained no information about shape nor functionality (i.e., silhouette iteration) or information about shape and functionality (i.e., functional iteration), or they were an intermediate between the two other types (i.e., intermediate iteration).</p><p>Critically, the three latter experiments progressively approached the conditions that researchers have suggested are ideal for automatic activation of afforded responses to occur. Experiment 3 tasked participants with completing a color discrimination task in which they viewed only one of the three object iterations and responded with button presses. Experiment 4 used the same experimental configuration, but instead, required participants to respond with a grasping response. Finally, Experiment 5 required participants to complete a reach-and-grasp response in an object discrimination task using both the silhouette and functional iterations.</p><p>Across Experiments 3, 4, and 5, no support for the automatic activation account of afforded responses was found. Although the automatic activation account would predict that individuals should be fastest at responding to the functional stimuli than to the other two object iterations, no such evidence was observed. Given that the possibility for left-right correspondence was removed from the novel stimulus set studied here, these results provide indirect support for the spatial coding account of prior results and further indicate that past findings favoring the automatic activation account have largely been a result of left-right correspondence. </p>

Object-based image analysis (OBIA) has been increasingly used to identify terrain features of archaeological sites, but only recently to extract subsurface archaeological features from geophysical data. In this study, we use a semi-automated OBIA to identify Archaic (8000-1000 BC) hearths from Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) data collected at David Crockett Birthplace State Park in eastern Tennessee in the southeastern United States. The data were preprocessed using GPR-SLICE, Surfer, and Archaeofusion software, and amplitude depth slices were selected that contained anomalies ranging from 0.80 to 1.20 m below surface (BS). Next, the data were segmented within ESRI ArcMap GIS software using a global threshold and, after vectorization, classified using four attributes: area, perimeter, length-to-width ratio, and Circularity Index. The user-defined parameters were based on an excavated Archaic circular hearth found at a depth greater than one meter, which consisted of fire-cracked rock and had a diameter greater than one meter. These observations were in agreement with previous excavations of hearths at the site. Features that had a high probability of being Archaic hearths were further delineated by human interpretation from radargrams and then ground-truthed by auger testing. The semi-automated OBIA successfully predicted 15 probable Archaic hearths at depths ranging from 0.85 to 1.20 m BS. Observable spatial clustering of hearths may indicate episodes of seasonal occupation by small mobile groups during the Archaic Period.

Visual selective attention operates in space- and object-based frames of reference. Stimulus salience and task demands influence whether a space- or object-based frame of reference guides attention. I conducted two experiments for the present dissertation to evaluate age patterns in the role of inhibition in object-based attention. The biased competition account (Desimone & Duncan, 1995) proposes that one mechanism through which targets are selected is through suppression of irrelevant stimuli. The inhibitory deficit hypothesis (Hasher & Zacks, 1988) predicts that older adults do not appropriately suppress or ignore irrelevant information. The purpose of the first study was to evaluate whether inhibition of return (IOR) patterns, originally found in a laboratory setting, could be replicated with online data collection (prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic). Inhibition of return is a cognitive mechanism to bias attention from returning to previously engaged items. In a lab setting, young and older adults produced location- and object-based IOR. In the current study, both types of IOR were also observed within object boundaries, although location-based IOR from data collected online was smaller than that from the laboratory. In addition, there was no evidence of an age-related reduction in IOR effects. There was some indication that sampling differences or testing circumstances led to increased variability in online data.The purpose of the second study was to evaluate age differences in top-down inhibitory processes during an attention-demanding object tracking task. Data were collected online. I used a dot-probe multiple object tracking (MOT) task to evaluate distractor suppression during target tracking. Both young and older adults showed poorer dot-probe detection accuracies when the probes appeared on distractors compared to when they appeared at empty locations, reflecting inhibition. The findings suggest that top-down inhibition works to suppress distractors during target tracking and that older adults show a relatively preserved ability to inhibit distractor objects. The findings across both experiments support models of selective attention that posit that goal-related biases suppress distractor information and that inhibition can be directed selectively by both young and older adults on locations and objects in the visual field.