What characterized early attempts at warehouse automation before intelligent mobile robots?

Reliance on fixed automation such as conveyor belts and early AS/RS.

The foundational stage of warehouse automation predates the modern concept of intelligent robotics software and relied predominantly on fixed automation technologies. These early systems were deterministic, meaning their paths and actions were rigidly programmed into the infrastructure itself. Examples explicitly mentioned include conveyor belts, which move items along a set physical path, and early Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS). These systems required programmed logic, but lacked the key features of contemporary robotics software, such as dynamic coordination, real-time re-routing, and fleet-level intelligence, which only emerged much later with mobile autonomy.