Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RSs) are essential components in modern warehousing, where efficient order picking greatly influences system productivity and service levels. This study presents a computational intelligence–based method for optimizing order-picking operations in AS/RS environments. The problem is first formulated as a mathematical model to capture key operational features such as storage configuration, retrieval sequencing, and travel times. The study also applies several computational intelligence approaches designed to efficiently explore the solution space and produce high-quality retrieval plans. The proposed methods are evaluated through extensive numerical experiments across a variety of system settings. Results show that the computational intelligence approaches consistently outperform traditional heuristics, providing near-optimal solutions with significantly reduced computational effort. This study contributes an effective and scalable decision-support framework for improving warehouse performance in AS/RSs, offering meaningful benefits for warehouse automation and intelligent logistics operations.

Dr. Yacob Khojasteh is a Professor of Operations Management at the Graduate School of Global Studies, Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan. He was a Visiting Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University in Canada, during 2021–2022. He received his Ph.D. in Systems and Information Engineering from the University of Tsukuba, Japan. He is the author or editor of several books, including Digital Transformation of Supply Chains: Business Objectives and Applications (2026, Springer), Emerging Technologies in Supply Chains (2025, Springer), Supply Chain Risk Mitigation: Strategies, Methods, and Applications (2022, Springer), Supply Chain Risk Management (2018, Springer), Production Management (2017, CRC Press), and Production Control Systems (2016, Springer). He has several years of professional experience in industry and consulting. His research interests include production and operations management, supply chain management, logistics and warehousing, systems modeling and optimization, digital transformation, and business analytics.