A computer-implemented method for operating mobile automated workstations comprising: receiving at a computer device real-time data from a sensor provided on one of the mobile workstations and from at least one sensor (112b-c) disposed at a location remote from the workstations, the real-time data comprising a plurality of communication exchanges between the computer device and the sensors (112a-112c); defining with the computer device based on the real-time data received from one or more of the sensors (112a-112c) an exclusionary volume having an outer exclusionary surface at least partially surrounding said one mobile workstation operably disposed in a workspace; defining a buffer volume having an outer buffer surface with the computer device, the buffer surface at least partially surrounding the mobile workstation and the exclusionary volume, wherein a point on the buffer surface is further from a point on the mobile workstation closest to the point on the buffer surface than a point on the exclusionary surface closest to the point on the mobile workstation; determining a location of the mobile workstation within the workspace with the computer device based on the data received from one or more of the sensors (112a-c); determining a location of a human (104a-g) within the workspace with the computer device based on the data received from one or more of the sensors (112a-c); and, updating any one of the location of the exclusionary volume, the exclusionary surface, the buffer volume, the buffer surface and the location of the human (104a-g) during operation or movement of the mobile workstation; performing at least one of activating an indicator (124a-c) with the computer device and altering predetermined movement of the mobile workstation with the computer device after detection of at least one of the human (104a-g) overlapping the exclusionary volume or buffer volume and crossing the exclusionary surface or buffer surface. receiving at a computer device real-time data from a sensor provided on one of the mobile workstations and from at least one sensor (112b-c) disposed at a location remote from the workstations, the real-time data comprising a plurality of communication exchanges between the computer device and the sensors (112a-112c); defining with the computer device based on the real-time data received from one or more of the sensors (112a-112c) an exclusionary volume having an outer exclusionary surface at least partially surrounding said one mobile workstation operably disposed in a workspace; defining a buffer volume having an outer buffer surface with the computer device, the buffer surface at least partially surrounding the mobile workstation and the exclusionary volume, wherein a point on the buffer surface is further from a point on the mobile workstation closest to the point on the buffer surface than a point on the exclusionary surface closest to the point on the mobile workstation; determining a location of the mobile workstation within the workspace with the computer device based on the data received from one or more of the sensors (112a-c); determining a location of a human (104a-g) within the workspace with the computer device based on the data received from one or more of the sensors (112a-c); and, updating any one of the location of the exclusionary volume, the exclusionary surface, the buffer volume, the buffer surface and the location of the human (104a-g) during operation or movement of the mobile workstation; performing at least one of activating an indicator (124a-c) with the computer device and altering predetermined movement of the mobile workstation with the computer device after detection of at least one of the human (104a-g) overlapping the exclusionary volume or buffer volume and crossing the exclusionary surface or buffer surface.