This award is in the joint engineering/computer information science engineering ENG/CISE research thrust in Intelligent Material Handling Systems. The objective is to develop an intelligent system for the dynamic control of automated guided vehicle systems. The system examines events occurring on the shop floor and reasons about those events using a selective attention mechanism. The system will be developed and tested with substantial industrial collaboration in the automotive sector. One of the greatest hurdles to overcome in the pursuit of fully automated manufacturing is the lack of "understanding" of a global view of the shop floor on the part of the computer. This research effort represents an attempt to break down this barrier. The direct interface with a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility enhances the technology transfer potential of the effort and its applicability to other academic and industrial settings.
