Social Network Physical Transport

Intro

Social networks, when properly harnessed, can be remarkably powerful things. The goal of this project is to use that system (with the help of the Internet, of course) to transport inexpensive physical objects (say, a book, a video game cartridge, or a burned CD) from one person to another. Ideally this would be done in a relatively short period of time, comparable to the inexpensive modes of object transport like UPS ground and the USPS.

Terms

Social Node

A person. The person has information about them and their connections to other nodes that establishes their social network connections.

Physical Packet

The unit that gets transported over the social network. This consists of a Physical Packet Header and the payload.

Physical Packet Header

The physical tag that's affixed to the Physical Packet that provides meta data about the payload. It includes routing information and a unique packet ID.

payload

The actual thing that gets transported over the social network. This could be a book, CD, teddy bear, or other inexpensive object that's trying to get from one person to another.

Requirements

The system has a few necessary components and a few components that will make it more effective.

Data network

A data network is needed to exchange object meta-data between social nodes

Computer-parsable Social Network meta-data

Something like FOAF or Friendster. This allows the social nodes to be understood by both users and the system itself.

How it Works

The system is mediated by a website which maintains user information and physical packet status information. A social node (or user) registers a packet's header (an ID tag of sorts) and specifies a destination user. The system then computes the most effective path through the social network to transport the packet at that time. The user is then told the name and possibly location of the friend they're supposed to give the packet to. This friend is the first step in the chain of people - or social nodes - the packet goes through.

That friend will take the packet, enter in the packet's ID and register themselves as having received it. The system will then tell them the next social node to give the packet to. As the packet moves, the best path may be re-evaluated in order to reflect the state of the social network at the time.

Eventually, the packet will reach the destination and hopefully the desired user will get the desired packet.

Concerns

The system requires a critical mass of social meta data to be met. As the social meta-data is attempting to describe an actual social network, the system will function best if it precisely mirrors the actual network. Of course, that won't realistically happen, but all efforts possible should be made to achieve it. If one were to take two arbitrary nodes, one should be able to transmit a physical packet between them within a reasonable amount of time.

This should be achieved using a viral/mememetic spreading system. The mememetic payload needs to be more than simply a functioning system (as, even though the benefits are apparent, they are neither immediate nor guaranteed).

Error Correction

Simple error correction can be dealt with by affixing a postal return address to the physical packet header. Instructions should be placed on the header stating that, upon severe error, the user should return the packet to a source where it can be handled.

A Similar Idea

Use the same header system, but base it on geocaching. Have the person depositing the payload put it in a place to the north/south/east/west depending on the direction the object eventually must go. Have a known geo-cacher near the deposit go find it and give them instructions on where to put it next. This might be a more fun implementation, as it turns it into a game instead of a chore.