The cars simulate automated vehicles, such as those found in an open pit mine. In this case, however, they are directed to various sites to load up on ones or zeros instead of ore, hence the name of this simulator - the Open Bit Mine . Computers will link you to the store's computer, which, in turn, will be hooked to the robotic shoppers. Other computers handle inventory, delivery and packaging. These systems are also found at mines with automated trucks, production shops with robotic vehicles, and similar facilities.
Automation includes hardware - processors, computer architecture and such.
Operations centers on software. Electrical engineering is providing simulation software support, computer science is developing communications and networking systems and Sen and SIE Assistant Professor Frank Ciarallo are providing performance analysis tools and putting it all together within a simulator. We are building all this into an integrated platform so we can develop and test algorithms and policies. Past simulations of distributed computer systems have not integrated operations and automation, so results and applications have been limited. There are many layers of engineering that we are trying to integrate into this software.