In psychology and neuroscience, multiple object tracking (MOT) refers to the ability of humans and other animals to simultaneously monitor multiple objects as they move. It is also the term for certain laboratory techniques used to study this ability.
In an MOT study, several identical moving objects are presented on a display. Some of the objects are designated as targets while the rest serve as 'distractors'. The study participants try to monitor the changing positions of the targets as they and the distractions move about. At the end of the trial, typically the participants are asked to indicate the final positions of the targets.
The results of MOT experiments have revealed limitations on humans' ability to simultaneously monitor multiple moving objects. For example, awareness of features such as color and shape is disrupted by the objects' movement.