Abstract: In an automated method for providing personalised recommendations to a user, a global probabilistic purchase model based on prior interactions of a group of users of a system, is used in the generation of personalised recommendations for future purchases for a given user. Attributes of the given user are used to identify characteristics relating to the user's personal purchasing, correction factors are calculated to update the output of the global probabilistic purchase model to personalise the recommendations for the user.

Abstract: In an automatic auctioning method for determining market valuations, the auction process operates in two rounds, whereby the first round is a “sealed bid first price” auction while the second round is an “ascending price” auction. All bids and the winners of both rounds are kept confidential until the second round is completed. Data on bids made and consequential winning results are analysed and processed.

Abstract: In an automated method for providing personalised recommendations to a user, a global probabilistic purchase model based on prior interactions of a group of users of a system, is used in the generation of personalised recommendations for future purchases for a given user. Attributes of the given user are used to identify characteristics relating to the user's personal purchasing, correction factors are calculated to update the output of the global probabilistic purchase model to personalise the recommendations for the user.

Abstract: An apparatus for behaviour monitoring on mobile computing devices and a method of operating such devices for adaptively profiling users and for optimising user profile storage requirements. The method comprising monitoring a behaviour of the user by interpreting one or more interactions between the device and the user and storing information relating to the behaviour of the user in at least a partially parameterised form. The method further comprising determining whether the user is exhibiting any changes in behaviour as a function of a variation in one or more parameters within the stored information.

Abstract: An apparatus for explicit and implicit attitude reaction monitoring on mobile computing devices and a method of operating such devices for interacting with a user and for guiding a behaviour of the user. The method comprising presenting the user with a series of tasks, each task requiring at least one response from the user and receiving the responses to the tasks from the user. The method further comprising, determining as a function of the received responses, one or more differences in the explicit and implicit attitudes of the user towards performing an intended behaviour, and delivering at least one message to the user, as a result of the differences in attitude, so as to guide the user to perform the intended behaviour.

Abstract: A human-computer interface for automated adaptive persuasion dialogue and a method of operating such an interface. The method comprising presenting a user with a series of decision points, each requiring the user to select one of a plurality of possible decision options; presenting the user with at least one persuasion message corresponding to each of the possible decision options, each persuasion message being selected according to one of a plurality of different persuasion strategies and receiving the user selection of one of the possible decision options. The presenting and receiving steps are then repeated to obtain user selected decision options for decision points based on a plurality of persuasion strategies to determine a persuasion strategy that is optimised for the user, allowing subsequent persuasion messages to be delivered to the user based on the optimised persuasion strategy.

Abstract: A human-computer interface for automatic persuasive dialogue between the interface and a user and a method of operating such an interface. The method comprising presenting a user with an avatar or animated image for conveying information to the user and receiving real time data relating to a personal attribute of the user, so as to modify the visual appearance and/or audio output of the avatar or animated image as a function of the received data relating to a personal attribute of the user. In this way, a more engaging, context sensitive and generally more persuasive automatic dialogue can be generated between the interface and the user.

Abstract: An apparatus for adaptive user profiling on mobile computing devices and a method of operating such devices for interacting with a user and for receiving data and instructions from a remote data resource. The method comprising detecting personal attributes of the user by interpreting one or more interactions between the device and the user, and transmitting information identifying the personal attributes of the user to the remote data resource. Determining, at the remote data resource and as a function of the transmitted information identifying personal attributes of the user, at least one of data content or program instructions to be downloaded to the mobile computing device.