Pervasive Computing Support for Market Trading

Outside the high-street shopping experience many goods are traded in market places where the arrangement andpricing of goods is rather more flexible, such as street markets, farmers' markets, car boot sales, collectors' fairs, andauctions / both physical, ranging from organised events for fine art, livestock etc. to occasional events and marketstalls operating as auctions; and virtual, such as eBay. It is obvious that pervasive computing technology has much tooffer the organisation and running of such markets: using RFIDs to track inventory, and offer electronic catalogues;the use of wireless handhelds to browse and discover desired objects; providing electronic identities, so that evidencecan be collected to build reputations and so on. It is less clear how such technology should be designed so as to beaccepted and enhance the market.Our approach is to undertake a detailed ethnographic study of the functioning of exemplar markets, and to createappropriate theories and technologies based on this understanding. A key factor in any market transaction is thefunctioning of trust, and we believe that ensuring that we build technology embodying trust is the most likely route tosuccess. This embodiment of trust will be based on a well-defined theoretical model, which submits to analysis, anditself supports trust and confidence in the system, over ad-hoc engineering. The pervasive computing environmentmust both be and show itself to be worthy of trust as it carries out tasks on our behalf. To be trustworthy, theunderlying software must have a valid model of human trust, based on the multiplicity of elements that go to constructtrust. To show itself worthy of trust, the systems must work within the current processes by which people constructtrust, providing transparency and appropriate feedback to the various users based on their level of engagement.