Cellular transport systems (also known as “cellular conveyor technology”) are based on autonomous conveyor technology “entities”. These are, for example, autonomous transport vehicles (automated guided vehicles) and/or autonomous conveyor modules. Communication between the entities, as well as the control itself, is typically carried out by (software) agents. Some are “topology-flexible”: The arrangement of the material handling entities in space (the material handling layout) can be changed at any time. If “missions” and strategies or corresponding coefficients are implanted in the (moving) logistical objects, their agents independently pursue the specified goal in communication with the environment and with each other (e.g. storage and retrieval, transportation, sorting, etc.). The desired emergence in the sense of a resource-saving target fulfillment of the Z. T. is achieved autonomously through interaction between the materials handling entities and a corresponding (service-oriented) environment. Z. T. are therefore intralogistics systems with maximum flexibility.

Source: logipedia / Fraunhofer IML