CHILL-O-CHAIR

Faculty : School of Chemical Engineering

Program : Bachelor of Engineering (Hons.) Chemical

Program Code : EH220

Course : Technology Entrepreneurship

Course Code : ENT600

Semester :7

Group Name : Chill-O-Chair

Group Members : 1. Amirul Rasyid Bin Zulkarnain (2020859494)
: 2. Faliq Hamzi Bin Johari (2020453248)
: 3. Haiqal Bin Hishamudin (2020453258)
: 4. Luqman Hakim Bin Ahmad (2020816822)
: 5. Muhammad Arif Hisham Bin Badrul Hisham
: 6. (2020869266)

Submitted to:

Mr Hardi Emrie Bin Rosly

Submission Date:

08 January 2023
TABLE OF CONTENT

1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................. 1

2.0 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 2

2.1 Problem statement and issues..................................................................................... 2

2.2 Methodology ................................................................................................................ 3

2.3 Limitation ..................................................................................................................... 3

3.0 NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT ................................................................................. 4

3.1 Definition ..................................................................................................................... 4

3.2 Classification of New Product Development ................................................................ 4

3.3 New Product Development Process ............................................................................ 5

3.3.1 Research and Development .................................................................................. 5

3.3.2 Product Design and Features ................................................................................ 9

3.3.3 Concept Testing .................................................................................................. 18

3.3.4 Build Prototype (3D model) ................................................................................. 26

3.3.5 Test Marketing .................................................................................................... 29

3.3.6 Consumer Trend Canvas (CTC).......................................................................... 33

4.0 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................. 37

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1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Ergonomic chair has become one of the products that spikes up the market trend due to
the effect of COVID-19. Up until now, this product has yet to kept increasing annually because
this chair has many purposes for example working from home (WFH), finishing an assignment,
gaming and many more activities. ‘Chill-O-Chair’ is an ergonomic chair where provides many
features such as lumbar support, neck support and height adjustment that can reduce the risk
towards health especially low-back pain, stiffness after sitting for long period of time and bad
positioning of body. The additional feature of this chair that differs from other is the technology
of cooling system in the material of the chair. This feature helps chair user to experience sitting
on a chair for many hours without feeling the heat generated at their bottom parts of the body.
The design of the product is conducted using 3D software and dimensions are calculated
accurately. This product is evaluated through a survey to gather the preference of consumer
and determine the public needs whether such technology could be feasible in this era.

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2.0 INTRODUCTION

This section discussed about the product issues and problem statements. The discussion also
consists with methodology and the limitations of product.

2.1 Problem statement and issues

Ergonomic chair has been in the market since the early of 2020 whereas the years
goes by, the features and quality of the ergonomic chair has gradually increased. One of the
reasons that this chair spikes up in the market trend is due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019
(COVID-19) has restrict any movement for everyone in Malaysia. When the government
launch the lockdown throughout the whole country, all the people will sit at home and
communicate using electronical devices through PC and laptop for work purpose, online
distance learning (ODL) and for their leisure time such as gaming and watching Netflix. At this
point, the rate of consumer bought this chair helps in increasing the number of ergonomic
chair business in the market trend. New design and features are constantly being produced
and design each year. The idea is growing more valuable and important in enhancing the
status quo of a scenario with each advancement made over the years. The average yearly
temperature in Malaysia is 25.4 °C. The average monthly temperature varies just slightly from
season to season, fluctuating by one degree Celsius between a minimum of 24.9°C in January
and a maximum of 25.9°C in May. These three months — April, May, and June — are the
hottest of the year (Malaysia - Climatology | Climate Change Knowledge Portal, n.d.). Due to
the location of Malaysia on the equator, the weather conditions are hot and humid in most
countries. A chair that can provide a cooling sensation and high comfortability is highly
recommended for those that has a preference on a chair that can provide with such special
feature. Our chair has a cushion that is equipped with a fabric that can provide a cooling
sensation for the user. The chair is also equipped with a gel memory foam where a cooling
gel is also present in the memory foam cushion. The gel absorbs and removes heat from the
body. The gel memory foam cushion offers a more comfortable surface to sit on.

Certain companies and institute are still implementing a work from home order where
staffs and students would learn or work from their home. A chair that can be sit on for a long
period of time is highly requested. Our chair is equipped with 8 layers of comfort where one of
the features are the cushion that consist of top-quality knitted fabric and gel memory foam.
These features have a characteristic where the chair offers spinal support by distributing the
weight evenly and forming the gel memory foam into the shape of a person’s body.

Different customer has different problems regarding their chair such as lumbar support
and neck support. Our chair provide provides a customization feature where customer can

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customize their chair in order to meet their needs. Customer can add extra features such as
a pillow to support their lumbar and neck.

2.2 Methodology

Proposed innovation’s information was obtained through several different method as

mentioned below:

1. Research

Extensive research was conducted through journal and experimental findings to

identify the main problem that customer has with chair especially its comfortability and long
period usage. Alternative mean to help with productivity of users was also considered but
ultimately sitting would bring the most comfort to the user experience. By integrating
technology into the product, it will help the overall experience where heat dispersing material
would elevate the overall experience of chair to its utmost potential.

2. Survey and Questionnaire

A google form survey was made to obtain the overall users experience and
preferences with chair. It helps us to understand the basic principle of chair and identify its
underlying issues. The survey was targeted to mass public as the proposed innovation can be
use by wide target of users where target market can be determined. In addition, a wide variety
of respondents help to identify variety of issue that may be face by different groups of users.
Respondents were required to answer the questionnaire where the questionnaire is being
conducted and distributed in a two-week duration.

2.3 Limitation

With any new product a few limitations must be first considered beforehand to ensure
that the new product design is able to be marketed to the target demographic as well as be
able to compete with contemporaries in the same market. By examining the limitations, the
borders of what can be done in the progression and innovation of the product can be defined.

The first limitation would be the costing involved to make sure that the price of the
product is affordable and competitive. Given that chairs are not a common product, the general
demand from the public for the new product may be lower. To combat this a balance must be
maintained between the costing of production with the price advertised to compete with the
numerous rival chair manufacturing companies.

Next, the design of the new product is a big hurdle when coming out with a new
product. This is due that consumers are less likely to buy a product they deem redundant if
they have an alternative. In addition, since the innovated product is a daily use chair, the

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general public may not be interested in the product if it is not able to capture their attention
and interest. As a result, the strategies used to advertise the product is important to establish
a good first impression.

Finally, the quality of the material used, and the manufacturing process could become
a limitation to the product. There have been innovations in cooling technology, but it has been
mainly used for pillow and bed usage. Since the technology is implemented into a general
chair, there may arise complications during the manufacture which could affect the overall
quality of the product.

3.0 NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

3.1 Definition

New product development is the process of creating new products or modifying

existing products to meet the needs and preferences of customers in the present and future
by applying the latest technology. It is an important process for determining the viability of a
product and introducing the new development to the market. This process entails deciding
whether the development of this new product is feasible or cannot be continued. Furthermore,
this process can provide an early indication of whether this new product development idea will
accumulate a profit or a loss once it is marketed and purchased by customers. Some
businesses may need to engage in this due to changing customer preferences and trends,
increasing competition, technological advancements, or new opportunities. Only innovative
businesses will be able to survive and thrive in the market because their products meet the
needs and desires of customers.

One of the primary motivators for new product development is increased

competitiveness. Every business strives to satisfy and retain customers by providing
outstanding products. A new product is not necessarily a product that has never been in the
market, but it can also be introduced with improvements based on customer feedback.
Innovation made on a product can become a competitor to products that are already in the
market because customers will be more interested in owning the product. A production
company must conduct research and a market survey before introducing a new product to
strengthen their position in a highly competitive market.

3.2 Classification of New Product Development

The classification of NPD shows how the products has been made in the improvement
from the existing ideas. The featured technology used to create this Chillo Chair is the

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composition of the fabric itself. The fabric consists of chemicals such as polyurethane which
are mainly derived from the petrochemical production. This is due to the inexpensive cost of
polyurethane material is the mainly reason that it is widely used in products such as pillows
and mattresses. Unlike the common polyurethane, this product uses gel memory foam
instead. The unique of this material is that its viscoelastic properties of memory foam made
out of polyurethane that is added by various compound and additives in this chemical helps to
increases the density of the material which provide more comfortness when pressure is
applied. In addition to this, the gel beads are combined to the fabric materials that act as a
coolant to dissipate all the heat produces after long period of usage. With these two
components being combined together, it creates gel memory foam which is a better quality of
fabric for chair cushion. With this technology of innovation, the results for the combination of
office chair and the unique fabric used is an improvement of product. In consumer perspective
towards this invention, this innovation is to provide comfortness for anyone who uses this chair
for long period of time without having their lower parts of the body being tired of sitting and
generate less heat from the chair.

3.3 New Product Development Process

Developing new product consist of six important component that the product must go
through before officially launch and start to commercialize it. The six components that listed
below are being discussed part by part with details:

1. Research and Development

2. Product Design
3. Concept Testing
4. Build Prototype
5. Test Marketing
6. Customer Trend Canvas

3.3.1 Research and Development

Research and development (R&D) is an important part of the new product

development process because it helps to ensure that new products are innovative and
effective. The main idea of R&D is to create product that has a potential growth on the market
trend. These ideas are generated by sorting out into several phases which is idea generation,
idea screening and market survey. R&D allows companies to explore new ideas, test and
refine prototypes, and gather data and feedback that can be used to improve the product
before it is released to the market. R&D can be a costly and time-consuming process but it is
often necessary in order to bring new and innovative products to market. It is especially
important in industries where there is a lot of competition and companies are always looking

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for ways to differentiate themselves from their competitors. In addition to helping to create new
and innovative products, R&D can also help a company to improve its existing products and
processes. This can lead to cost savings and increased efficiency, which can help the
company to remain competitive in the market. Overall, R&D is an essential part of the new
product development process and can help companies to bring new, innovative products to
market that meet the needs and desires of their customers.

3.3.1.1 Idea Generation

The R&D process will begin with the development of ideas. Idea creation is the process
of using creative thinking to generate numerous new product concepts in a systematic way. In
order to generate fresh ideas and sharpen problem-solving abilities, try using some of the
strategies listed above, as well as attribute listing, brainstorming, lateral thinking, and reverse
thinking. After multiple discussion sessions and brainstorming sessions, several excellent
ideas were produced. Our objective is to add more worth to each special product concept. In
order to accomplish this, we must carefully consider each one and then solicit additional in-
depth suggestions and improvements from the group as a whole. Each group member has
presented their own idea including the feature, benefits and function.

The first idea was a biodegradable container. Plastics raise a number of concerns,
including their build-up in landfills and the ocean, the production of micro- and nano plastics,
and human exposure to toxins when chemicals from food packaging leach into foods. Food
packaging contains a variety of unintentionally added substances (NIAS), in contrast to the
chemicals that are purposefully utilised to make polymers. These substances are hazardous
to people and can alter their endocrine systems. Biodegradable container is usually produced
from organic materials such as wheat, bamboo, wood and rice husk that are free of hazardous
materials and reusable. For our product, the material that was chosen for the production of
biodegradable container was rice husk as Malaysia is one of the largest producers of rice in
Asia. The ability of biodegradable packaging to lower overall waste in the food business is its
most significant advantage. Biodegradable food packaging entirely and naturally breaks down,
as opposed to throwing away masses of plastic that will sit in landfills for years.

The second idea that was presented was an electric container that has the function of
heating itself. A heated lunchbox is different from a typical insulated lunchbox designed only
to keep food at a consistent temperature. Over the course of the day, the food in an insulated
lunch box inevitably loses most or all of its heat. On the other hand, an electric heated lunchbox
actively heats the food at a predetermined period. Food is evenly warmed, making each bite
sweet and hot. By doing this the user can eat a hot and warm meal. Besides, the container is
also equipped with a vacuum seal where it can store food a lot longer without putting it in the

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refrigerator. This feature can help the food to last a lot longer. By owning an electric container,
the user can save a lot of money due to the fact that they can eat homemade food that are
warm rather than spending their money on restaurants. Users also will have more choices of
food where typically the only options for lunch breaks are to munch on a cold lunch, utilise the
office microwave, or shell out a fortune for restaurant meals. When you have your own heating
source, the possibilities are endless.

The third idea was the ergonomic chair where the main feature of the chair is the
cooling sensation due to the layer of fabric that was equipped with a gel memory foam that
can absorb heat and disperse it to the surrounding. The typical office worker or student can
sit at their desk for up to 8 hours every day. Sitting actually puts a lot of strain and pressure
on the body and can cause heart disease, diabetes, and deep vein thrombosis, among other
major health issues (DVT). By offering the right support and increased comfort, ergonomic
chair can significantly lessen the stress exerted on your body. For the total health and
wellbeing of an employee or student, ergonomic seats are no longer a luxury item. Ergonomic
chair can be very useful in our daily lives as it can help in providing support on our back to
prevent back pain and neck pain even after seating on the chair for a long period of time.
Ergonomic chairs can ease neck and shoulder pain, support the spine, maintain the neutral
posture of joints, and ease lower back pain. Additionally, using ergonomic office supplies can
lessen the chance of acquiring neck- and back-damaging musculoskeletal illnesses.

3.3.1.2 Idea Screening

Table 1: Process Screening

Criteria Biodegradable Container Electric Lunchbox Ergonomic Chair

Product • Environmentally • Regulate Food • Regulate

Benefit Friendly Temperature User Body
• Keeping Food Temperature
Fresh for a • Health
longer Period Conscious
(Vacuum Seal) (Ergonomic)

Audience Everyone Limited Everyone

Durability 3 to 6 months 3-5 Years 5 to 10 years

Price Low Medium High
Technical Easy Complex Easy
Feasibility

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 Idea screening is a process where evaluation is being made towards new product idea
that are in the development process. These products must be ensured to reach the business
objective and customers’ demand. This is a process that are critical in early stage of
development as it reduces the risk that are typically associated with new product development
through putting the product with higher probability of success a focus.

First criteria are product benefits, and, in this case, the least number of benefits are
the biodegradable container whereas electric lunchbox and ergonomic chair have the same
amount of two. Second criteria are audience, a biodegradable container and ergonomic chair
are easy and intuitive to use. Thus, everyone can be using these products as it intended
without any hitch. Whereas electric lunchbox may induce complication for younger and mature
target audience who are not technologically inclined, and it does make the product target
audience limited. The durability of a product does play a critical role in ensuring the longevity
and usability of a product. The biodegradable container can last for up to 3 to 6 months before
it degraded (Serle, 2020). Meanwhile, electrical lunchbox is an electronic device where its
durability expectancy is around 3 to 5 years (Downer, 2022). Ergonomic chair last for a long
time at 5 to 10 years (Alexiev, 2022). Price for biodegradable container, electric lunchbox, and
ergonomic chair are low medium and high respectively. Technical feasibility for a
biodegradable container and ergonomic chair is Easy and less complex. Raw material can be
process at a high rate with assembly took a bit less time. Biodegradable box is complex when
it comes to technical feasibility as it is an electronic product with mechanical component,
manufacturing could be a tedious process.

Table 2: Process Scoring

Criteria Biodegradable Electric Ergonomic

Container Lunchbox Chair
Product Benefit 0 +1 +1
Audience +1 0 +1
Durability -1 0 +1
Price -1 0 +1
Technical Feasibility +1 0 +1
Total 0 1 5
Where criteria are valued at; -1 (less desirable), 0 (neutral), +1 (desirable)

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In conclusion, the product with the most desirable value is ergonomic chair with a total score
of 5 and can be proceed for development. The higher score indicates that the product has the
most potential to be appealing to the customer when it is brought to the market.

3.3.1.3 Market Survey

Following the generation and screening of ideas for the product, a survey is conducted
among the public in order to determine the efficacy of the product for consumers and gaining
a better insight into the market background for the introduced product. This was achieved
through the utilization of a google form to inquire their thoughts on the innovated technology
and opinion regarding the product. The questions related to this market survey mainly focused
on their knowledge on the cooling foam technology that was planned to be implemented in the
product, elements that are preferred by consumers and the kind of material that made up the
product.

According to the market survey, it was found that consumers are not familiar with the
cooling foam technology as a 70% answered no if they have ever heard of the cooling foam
technology. This is due to the fact that cooling foam technology is a relatively new innovation
and has sparce applications in pillows and bedding material.

Next the survey asked which elements in a chair that mattered the most to consumers
for them to purchase a chair. The results showed that consumers are highly interested in the
kind of material and comfortability when using the chair with an amount of 91.4%. In addition,
the features that entice consumers to buy a chair is the lumbar support of the chair with 82.9%
choosing this option.

With an increased emphasis on the kind of material of the chair from the public, the
question on the type of material most preferred by consumers is posed. The survey shows
that consumers are more likely to purchase a chair that has adding with material with the ability
to cool body temperature with 78.6% selecting this option.

3.3.2 Product Design and Features

Ergonomic chairs are designed to provide support and comfort to the user and are
often used in office, work environments and gaming where individuals may be seated for long
periods of time. Few researchers have made their studies in the past years regarding furniture
design mention that the potential of having low back pain risk and musculoskeletal discomfort
occurs from having a poor and improper design of chair that is mostly cause by the mismatch
of the chair and the height of the desk (Gopura & Amarasena, 2008). Thus, an ergonomic

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chair has the ability to help in reducing the low back pain issues and increasing the productivity
for them sitting in a long period of time. When designing an ergonomic chair, it is important to
consider a range of criteria to ensure the product meets the needs of the user and performs
well in various settings. These criteria include performance, reliability, safety, durability and
special features that may help in focusing to have a better ergonomic chair.

Performance

Performance is a key criterion in the design of ergonomic chairs. Chill-O-Chair capable

to adjust needs of the user by providing support and comfort for a range of different body types
and sizes. This may include features such as adjustable lumbar support, adjustable armrests
and adjustable seat height. In addition, the chair should be able to swivel and pivot smoothly
that allows the user to move easily and comfortably while seated. The importance of
highlighting the specification of the ergonomic chair in terms of its size, shape, posture, height
and inclination is crucial to avoid any serious injury health. For the determination of how a
good ergonomic chair is based on the how well does the chair can support the user in their
daily activities and task.

Things that affect the performance of ergonomic chair is the appearance itself. The
feature is assessed based on the appropriate design characteristic such as comfortability,
adjustability and aesthetic impression. People tend to look the shape, size and colour of the
chair and evaluate based on what they look. The first impression shows the looks on their
faces whether it meets the need of their expectation. Some may say a simple chair may look
dull but the mechanism of the chair is somehow way better than the complex system. This
requires some time for the user to look for manual and to setup the chair. This situation applies
in Chill-O-Chair to ease the user to assemble the chair pieces by pieces while maintaining a
strong structure of the chair.

Another point that needs to be highlighted is the comfortability of the chair. Any kind of
chair must have the comfortability for the user to sit on it in long period of time. An adjustable
lumbar support, neck support and adjustable height should take into consideration in creating
a great ergonomic chair. These features help to create our product meet the demand of the
consumer and at the same time provide the comfortability for them.

Reliability

When creating a product, reliability is an important aspect especially for products that
supposed to be used for a long-term period. Reliability is defined as the continuous ability to
fulfil the created function for a certain amount of time. In terms of the Chill-O-Chair Chair, the

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two primary functions it must accomplish are the cooling foam heat removal capabilities and
the ergonomic ability of the product.

In the first aspect of cooling, the cooling foam that is used in the product is able to
maintain a cooling ability of up to 5 to 8 years (Intellibed,2021). Given that the typical office
chair has a lifespan of about 1 to 10 years according to (ChairClub, 2022), this makes the
Chill-O-Chair chair a perfectly appropriate product for reliability in the typical lifespan of
products of the same type.

Next the second aspect is the ergonomic capabilities of the Chill-O-Chair Chair.
Ergonomics of a chair are dependable on the design of the chair itself. With a demand for
ergonomic support from consumers, the Chill-O-Chair Chair incorporates several ergonomic
aspects such as lumbar support and adjustable armrests in addition to the cooling foam to
ensure the efficiency and comfort felt by users of the Chill-O-Chair Chair. With the application
of these ergonomic design aspects the Chill-O-Chair Chair is able to enhance the productivity
of users. This is due to the impact of quality experienced by someone distracted by discomfort
which affects their productivity (McAdams, 2022).

Safety

A safe product is one that offers either no risk or a minimal acceptable level of risk, taking into
account the product’s standard or safety hazards use as well as the requirement to maintain
a high level of consumer protection. A product’s safety is determined by taking into
consideration all its features, how it is presented, potential interactions with other products,
and the risks it poses to users especially children and the elderly. When developing our new
product structure, the various risks that might occur when the user uses the chair were
analyzed and discussed. Therefore, the “Chill-O Chair” has been constructed and designed to
introduce the user with the fewest possible risks.

Among the safety features of our product are:

No. Features Description

1 5-point base This can make the chair more stable and sturdier for the user to sit on.
2 Armrests Provide support and evenly support the arms of user. The armrests
can be removed to sit closer to the desk or table.
3 Anti-slip lock Makes it easier for user to sit in chair without slipping.
4 Cushion support Can provide extra comfort and maintain the user’s body position while
sitting. Can prevent the user from feeling pain when leaning on the
chair for a long period of time.

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 5 Ergonomic Ensure the user’s body is kept in a safe and upright position to reduce
stress on the spine, neck and hips.

Durability

Durability is an important aspect of a product to avoid disabling damage. Disabling

damage is a damage where it is significant enough to prevent a product to be use as its
intended purpose. Additionally, it could also cause injuries towards the users. To prevent
disabling damage, the chair needs to undergo series of performance test for intensive use of
chair.

Purdue University have come out with multiple tests to ensure that a chair can be
durable if it passes the acceptance limit. Cyclic Back and Back Tilt Mechanism Fatigue Test
for Chairs with Spring Type Tension Controls is a test to determine the back system
resistance. It is where the back system is being subjected to front to back load repeatedly.
Cyclic Increasing Back Load Test is a test it replicates the leaning backward action that are
done by the user. Both of this test can be carried out by the same mechanism setup shown
below.

Figure 1: Back tilt mechanism test

Cyclic Vertical Load Test on One Arm is a test where a vertical load may be exerted to
the arms of the chair. These instances can and are not limited to when the user getting up or
down from the chair and the user may pushes the arms, or when the arm is being sat on.
Evaluation is made to determine the strength of the arm and arms assemble.

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 Figure 2: Cyclic Vertical Load Test on One Arm

Cyclic Side Thrust Load Test on Arms is a test where chair’s strength is being evaluated when
side stress is being applied the arm. This test imitates the action where chair is being pushed
or pulled sideways.

Figure 3: Cyclic Side Thrust Load Test Setup

Cyclic Vertical Load Test on Seats, Bases and Casters is a test to determine the chair’s
strength on the structure and understructure area which comprises of caster, swivel column,
and base by subjecting to vertical load.

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 Figure 4: Setup for Cyclic Vertical Load Test

Cyclic Fatigue Test of Swivel Bearings is where the swivel system’s endurance is being test.
It replicates the action of the chair rotating in cycles of 360 degrees in fixed base position.

Figure 5: Setup for Cyclic Fatigue Test

Cyclic Pneumatic Height Adjustment Durability Test is to determine the mechanism for seat
adjustment on height. The chair is being subjected to load while the mechanism is being
activated and deactivated in a sequence.

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 Figure 6: Setup for Cyclic Pneumatic Height Adjustment Durability Test

Front Stability Test is done to the edge at the front of the seat by vertical load applied in a
downward position. It is done until the rear caster can be seen tilting away from the floor in a
forward tilting position.

Figure 7: Setup for Front Stability Test

Back Stability Test is done in the manner where load direction is applied from front to back of
the seat up to a backrest of the product until the chair begins to tilt in a backward position.
Load as heavy as 22 kilograms is being applied to the front of the chair to simulate the sitting
action or position of the user when using the chair.

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 Figure 8: Setup for Back Stability Test

Caster and Base Durability Test is a test to determine the forces and wear applied to the
chair when the chair is being moved forward and backward to determine the durability of
caster and base.

Figure 9: Setup for Caster and Base Durability Test

Acceptance level value are gain through a paper publish by a journal titled Performance Test
Method for Intensive Use Chairs (Eckelman & Erdil, 2000).

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 Types of Tests Acceptance Level
Cyclic Back and Back Tilt Mechanism 1 000 000 cycles
Fatigue Test
Cyclic Increasing Back Load Test 79 kg of loads
Cyclic Vertical Load Test on Arm 113 kg of loads
Cyclic Side Thrust Load Test on Arm 91 kg of loads
Cyclic Vertical Load Test on Seats, Bases, 590 kg of loads
and Casters
Cyclic Fatigue Test of Swivel Bearings Maximum 68 kg in at 136 kg load on seat
Cyclic Pneumatic Height Adjustment 125 000 cycles
Front Stability Test Minimum 57 kg
Back Stability Test Minimum 658 kg
Caster and Base Durability Test 36 000 cycles

Special Features

The production of ergonomic chair has been around since 2006 and there are many
producers and manufacturer of ergonomic chair in the market making the competition for sales
higher. Due to the current condition in Malaysia, the demand of ergonomic chair is higher than
usual making the production of the product in mass production higher. These factors have
been taken into consideration during the preliminary discussion on the selection of product. In
order to have a chance in competing with other companies that has been producing ergonomic
chair for a longer period of time, there are a few special features that has been applied to our
product with hope it can be a competition to other companies’ ergonomic chair. One of the
most important features in our ergonomic chair is that it is equipped with 8 layers of comfort
in the fabric and cushion used on the chair. One of the layers is a layer of gel memory foam
where one of the advantages of the gel memory foam is that it will mold to the shape of the
person’s body and provide support to the spine. This feature is important to attract customer
who usually spend most of their time sitting typically students and also office workers as it will
help them to sit for a longer period of time without having to suffer from extensive back pain.
Customer who also have back pain and lumbar strain can also use this chair as it will provide
the support needed in order for them to sit comfortably.

Another important feature of this ergonomic chair is that the chair is equipped with a
layer of fabric that will absorb the heat form the chair and disperse the heat evenly to the
surrounding. This fabric will be used in the cushion and arm rest of the chair as that area has
the most contact time with the person using the chair and that area is also the common area

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where heat will build up. Due to the heat buildup, the user will be sweaty and it will cause
discomfort to the user when sitting for a long period of time. In addition to the heat buildup, the
weather condition of Malaysia can also be the cause of this discomfort as Malaysia is located
at the equator where the weather condition is hotter compared to other countries. The fabric
will act as a heat dispenser and will be providing a cooling sensation to the user so the user
can use the chair without the feeling of sweaty and discomfort due to the heat.

In addition to the cooling sensation and lumbar support, the armrests of our ergonomic
chairs may be adjusted, which is another crucial aspect. When typing or using a mouse, these
can be moved up, down, forward, or backward to support the arms and shoulders. Armrests
that may be adjusted can ease shoulder and upper back tension, which can lessen tiredness
and discomfort. Besides the cooling sensation on the arm rest, the adjustable arm rest is one
of our special features in order to provide the highest comfortability during the usage of our
ergonomic chair as different people has different body lengths. The adjustable arm rest can
be adjusted according to the convenience of the user.

Next feature that has been applied to our ergonomic chair is the design. Different
customer has different needs so customer can customize the chair according to their needs
such as adding the neck support and also the color of the chair. An ergonomic chair's backrest
can be altered to meet the unique requirements and preferences of the user. To maintain the
spine's natural curve and lessen stress on the upper back and neck, the backrest can be
inclined or reclined. The most comfortable and supporting position can be found by adjusting
the backrest, which can assist to lessen fatigue and discomfort and encourage proper posture.
Although it may require some trial and error, customizing an ergonomic chair is ultimately
worthwhile. A chair that is specially made to match the user's needs and preferences can
increase comfort and productivity while lowering the likelihood of discomfort and tiredness.

3.3.3 Concept Testing

The initial test for most new products is concept testing. Surveys are used in concept
testing to evaluate consumer responses to the currently developed product. It aids in the
gathering of ideas for improving the product and marketing it to the public. Concept testing
entails presenting a preliminary description of a product or service idea to prospective
customers to gauge their interest and purchase intent. If the concept testing is successful, the
next step is to prepare the prototype. The main goals of concept testing are to select the best
alternative from a variety of options, to gather initial feedback from customers, and to indicate
what can be done next to improve with future development.

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 1) Purpose of the Concept Testing

The concept test for our product "Chill-O-Chair" was intended to identify the purpose and focus
of customers when purchasing a product. This is to determine whether customers are willing
and able to spend money on a product that we have innovated, even if the product is more
expensive than existing chairs on the market today. Also, to learn about other features that
can be improved on our product based on customer feedback and concerns, to ensure that
the product is worth to purchase.

2) Survey of the Population

In order to introduce this new product, we have carried out a concept test that entailed a survey
that was taken by a number of respondents. The goal of this survey is to identify market
positions that can be filled with our new products that are in high demand by customers. The
main target for our new product is in the study centers. This is because more than half of the
total number of respondents received by us regarding the survey that has been conducted are
from the individuals who are still studying at a higher education center. The experience of
using various types of chairs in daily life as well as our customers’ desires and opinions on
our new products, are among the contents of the questions being asked of respondents in this
market survey. The analysis of this market survey’s findings has greatly aided in the
development of ideas for enhancements to our new product.

3) Format of Survey

Our survey is structured as a series of questions that greatly help in gathering data on the
product we are proposing. The questionnaire is distributed to the target audience to identify
the product’s acceptance and marketability. The respondents are also able to offer more
suggestions and enhancements for our proposed product using this method.

In a process of communicating the concept, verbal description and rendering is the

methods being used for this process. Verbal description this product is called Chill-O-Chair
(derivative from two words of chill and chair) where it is design to maintain the temperature of
the sitter while remaining comfortable for a long period. The material of the padding is using a
cooling foam technology, the foam can disperse heat accumulated when sitting and provides
a cool and comfortable sensation through 8 layers of comfort padding. Chill-O-Chair is
designed to provide ergonomic lumbar support structure with armrest. Additionally, Chill-O-
Chair can swivel, height adjustable, and move around with wheels all through its
understructure system. Moreover, the Chill-O-Chair comes in a two-tone set for its color. The
rendering of Chill-O-Chair is made through a three-dimensional (3D) modelling software
known as AutoCAD as shown below.

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 Figure 10: Finalize Rendering of Chill-O-Chair

Figure 11: Progress Rendering of Chill-O-Chair

Furthermore, the process of concept testing includes measuring customer response where it
has 5 parts that are done through survey. The survey is done in a form of questionnaire
through google form. The first part is qualification where customer majority comes from an age
range between 20-24 as much as 64.2% from 67 respondents. Whereas, the second largest
group 25-29, followed by 30 and above, and below 20.

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 Figure 12: Respondents Age Range

Respondents were asked about the duration of chair sat in a day where most of the
respondents (46.3%) responds that they spend around 2-4 hours and 44.8% of the
respondents spent more 4 hours sitting in a chair.

Figure 13: Respondents Chair Sat Duration

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 Figure 14: Product Description

Figure 15: Product Description with 3D Model Render

Second Part is product description where customer is being present with concept description
shown above as previously mentioned previously with the renders of Chill-O-Chair. Almost
91% of the respondents consider material and comfort are at the utmost importance when
making purchase decision.

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 Figure 16: Respondents Purchase Elements

82.1% of the respondents rate this product as excellent and 94% interested in this kind of
product.

Figure 17: Respondents Interest

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 Figure 18: Respondent's Rating of the Product

Moreover, majority of the respondents wants the Chill-O-Chair in two tones colors. Third Part
of measuring customer response is purchase intent where 100% respondents are interested
in purchasing the product if the price is fixed at RM150.

Figure 19: Respondent’s Pricing

Forth Part is comments where 53.7% respondents have expectation of the price in the range
of RM100 to RM200. The respondent’s top suggestions for improvement are wanting Chill-O-
Chair comes in various sizes, folding armrest when not in use, and would like for the cooling
padding technology to be implemented in other product such as steering wheel.

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 Figure 20: Respondents’ Expected Price Range

Fifth part is also the last part of process concept testing of interpreting results. From the data
sets that were gather through google form survey, the forecast size of market would comprise
of 20-29 years old group where Chill-O-Chair would be use in a productivity setting such as
offices or studying setup. Additionally, it would also be popular amongst the range of this age
group due to gaming setup usage which is prominent in this younger age group. Finally, the
targeted selling price as shown in the third part would be kept at RM150 as it has full positive
support from the respondents.

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3.3.4 Build Prototype (3D model)

Figure 21: 2D sketch Chill-O-Chair

Figure 22: 3D model rendering Chill-O-Chair using AutoCAD software

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 Table 3: Orthographic projection Chill-O-Chair

Perspective of View Image

Front

Side

Top

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Final Product Design

Chair surface enlargement view using

gel foam memory material with additional
material combined together.

Figure 23: Chill-O-Chair complete design

Figure 24: Chill-O-Chair material

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3.3.5 Test Marketing

During the development of new products to be introduced to the market, companies

will tend to conduct a test on the market they wish to enter. The goal of this is to gauge the
interest of consumers regarding the product and is for testing the elements of the developed
product collectively instead of individually (Klompmaker et al, 1976). In the development of the
Chill-O-Chair chair, the questionnaire was created with the goal of determining their
preferences regarding the elements of the product and their willingness to purchase the
product. Through this method, the company is able to evaluate the market reaction for the
further development of the product.

Before performing the test marketing, research and development efforts were made to
study the chair market in order to be able to compare our product and design innovations that
will differentiate our product from our contemporaries. With the implementation of the
consumer trend canvas (CTC), it is possible to identify the consumer groups that are
applicable to our product. The three main customer groups that are targeted for the Chill-O-
Chair chair consist of university students, employed persons from various industries, and a
portion of unemployed customers. A majority of respondents consisted of 58.6% male
respondents from an age group of 20 to 24 years old (64.3%) and are still considered students
(67.1%).

Figure 25: Background of Survey Respondents

The survey also inquired the user’s preference and experience when using chairs. On
a typical day, respondents stated that they usually spend more than 4 hours on a chair with
over 47.1% while 44.3% sit in a chair between 2 to 4 hours and 8.6% of respondents spent

29
less than 2 hours in a chair. The majority spending longer amounts of time sitting may reflect
how important the importance of a chair is to them. To test this the survey asked which
elements in a chair matters the most when making the purchase decisions. Material and
comfortability of the chair made the majority of votes with 91.4% choosing this option.
Following that, lumbar support, headrest and armrest were the next highest options with 82.9%
and 71.4% responses respectively. 62.9% chose the overall design and 58.6% selected
adjustability features for the product.

Figure 26: Responses from User Preference and Experience

With and increased demand for ergonomic chairs, respondents were asked how
important ergonomic support is to consumers and received a 91.4% saying that ergonomic
design is very important to them. Next the type of material was also tested and the response
received showed that 78.6% preferred padding with material with the ability to cool body
temperature. Portions of the respondents also wanted mesh, leather, and fabric material to be
used for the chair with 48.6%, 51.4%, and 47.1% respectively. The colour of the product was
considered and respondents stated that consumers prefer Two Tones Colour, Bright and
Vibrant Colour, and Classic Monotonous Colour almost equally with 34.2%, 31.4%, and 30%
choosing each respective colour.

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 Figure 27: Material Preference from the survey

Since the innovation of the Chill-O-Chair is the cooling foam technology the survey
also inquired the knowledge of respondents regarding the cooling foam and 70% of
respondents are not familiar with this technology. In response, the survey introduced the Chill-
O-Chair and asked whether consumers are interested in the product with results of 94.3%
stating they are.

Figure 28: responses from product description

Next, the pricing of the product was considered and was one of the questions of the
survey. The survey asked which price range is most preferred by consumers and the
respondents selected a price range between RM100 and RM200 with a percentage of 54.3%.

Figure 29: Preferred price range for the product

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Consumer Trend Canvas (CTC)

Figure 30: Consumer Trend Canvas Chill-O-Chair

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3.3.6 Consumer Trend Canvas (CTC)

Consumer Trend Canvas (CTC) is a simple framework to understand the consumer

trend which helps to launch a successful of our own innovation. It consists of two parts which
is analysis and application that guides to the asking about the right question regarding the
chosen product. Four core elements in the analyse part are basic needs, drivers of change,
emerging consumer expectation and innovation that helps to access the possibility of these
component to fit together and produce new expectations. The next step is apply that is divided
into two component which is innovation potential and to whom is the target of the product.
These all elements are combined together to produce the visual of CTC.

Basic Needs
The first of all CTC components in the analyse part is the basic needs. The basic needs
that consumer can look for Chill-O-Chair are comfortability, cooling sensation and lumbar and
neck support. Comfortability is the top priority for any kind of chair design due to the health
issues that rising annually because of sitting position is inappropriate. It is a long-term effect
and people tend to look for a proper design so that consumer can use it in a long period of
time without feeling pain at any parts of their body. The comfort of this product came from the
technology of the materials which helps to sustain the weight of the person who sit on it by
having multiple layers stack between them with different kinds of functioning purpose for each
layer. One of the layers consist of non-toxic gels that provides the cooling sensation to attract
consumer attention. The benefit of this material able to remove all the heat trapped in the seat
by transferring the heat generated from the chair to the surrounding through a foam that can
push off the flow of the heat. The importance of having lumbar and neck support in Chill-O-
Chair also vital for producing a good ergonomic chair. Lumbar and neck support are important
in ergonomic chair design because they help to reduce strain on the body and promote good
posture while sitting. The lumbar region of the back is the lower part of the spine and it is
particularly vulnerable to strain and discomfort when sitting for long periods of time. A chair
with good lumbar support will help to support the natural curvature of the spine and reduce
pressure on the lower back muscles. Similarly, neck support is important because it helps to
reduce strain on the neck muscles and upper back, which can lead to muscle pain and tension
headaches if left unsupported. An ergonomic chair with good lumbar and neck support can
help to make sitting for long periods of time more comfortable and reduce the risk of developing
musculoskeletal problems.

Drivers of change

There are two types of factors that will cause the current system to change: the shift
(long-term) and the triggers (short-term). Shifts, also referred to as long-term, are the first

33
category, and they depend on macro changes that take place over many years or even
decades. Chill-O-Chair can be an eye-opening invention to the customer in terms of health as
our product have the special features of supporting the lumbar and prevent any back pain due
to sitting for a long period of time. Besides, the weather condition in Malaysia also plays an
important role as the weather condition is quite hot and due to sitting for a long period of time,
sweat and heat can cause the customer to be uncomfortable. By using the Chill-O-Chair,
customer can feel the cooling effect which came from the layer of fabric that act as a heat
remover. Next is the increasing awareness of the importance of ergonomics in the workplace.
As research has shown the negative impacts of sedentary lifestyles and poor posture on
overall health, more people are seeking out products that promote healthy habits while
working. Ergonomic chairs are one way to do this, as they are designed to encourage proper
posture and reduce the risk of injury.

The second category, triggers, are the more immediate alterations that lead to a
consumer trend. Specific technology, political events, economic shocks, environmental
accidents, and other factors can all play a role. Due to the condition of the country in these
past few years where the lockdown initiative was implemented due to the pandemic, the
growth in ergonomic chair sales has been increasing. This is because the usage of ergonomic
chair and the demand is higher as the community realises the significance of ergonomic chair.
Chill-O-Chair is also equipped with a new technology which is the fabric gel that can disperse
the heat accumulated in the chair to the surrounding.

Emerging Consumer Expectations

Predicting the expectations towards the product in their perspective gives a lot of
opportunity to cover the loopholes of creating product. Some may look for the comparison
between all the ergonomic chairs including the ability of creating a chair that provides more
benefits than others. Consumers are eager to look for more features in ergonomic chair that
may satisfy their needs. This Chill-O-Chair has the features that help supporting the lumbar
that can reduce the strain on the back of the body and has great material airflow and
breathable chair to reduce the heat generation. The additional support from the chair is
essential for any ergonomic chairs because it may help to reduce low back pain issues that
most likely a person faced when sitting too long in a chair. The customization of this chair can
adjust the suitability of the sitting position on it according to the person’s body structure. This
feature may reduce the stiffness of the back of the body. In addition to this part, other features
of this chair is that it has the breathable material that provides great airflow which helps the
circulation of the heat generated being transferred to the surroundings. When a person is

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making a move on a chair, the area of the heat that generated from seating will dissipate and
the cooling gel will do the work for the cooling up the seat back to the normal temperature.

Inspiration

During this competitive era of business, people tend to have explore various kind of ideas
that is creative instead of copying the product from other compaies. Inspiration is like a
medicine that boost the business growth and expand the vision of the company. It helps to
create a clear path for generating ideas by reducing any inefficiencies of the product,
searching for a better solutions of encountered problems, seeking for identification and
mitigation of risk and looking for an opportunity to create changes of current product. Any
companies who does not have inspiration as their top priority is really tough to generate more
creative ideas for the product to be special compared to other companies product.

Our company’s inspiration for Chill-O-Chair product is basically came from the ergonomic
chair because this is the chair that almost everyday people use to sit on it for an hours doing
their activities. Chill-O-Chair have been inspired by the principles of ergonomics which is the
scientific study of how people interact with their environment. The ergonomics aims to design
products, systems and environments that are safe, efficient and comfortable for the user. The
goal of ergonomic design is to minimize physical strain and fatigue on the body and to reduce
the risk of musculoskeletal disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, and lower
back pain. Ergonomic chairs are designed to support the body in a way that is natural and
comfortable and to allow the user to maintain good posture while sitting for long periods of
time. Some of the famous ergonomic chair are TTRacing and Secretlab which can be found
in local store or online website. This chair is very unique design in terms of quality built, the
structure of the chair, the features that provided which gives the first impression of the
consumer willingly spend their cash although the chair it is expensive. With this ideas, the
innovation of the product came from combination of the technology called ‘chillow pillow’.
Chillow is a brand of cooling pillow that is designed to provide a cool and comfortable surface
for sleeping. The inspiration came from the people’s desire to find a solution for people who
experience hot flashes, night sweats, or other forms of discomfort due to being too hot while
sleeping. The chillow pillow is filled with a special non-toxic gel that absorbs heat and releases
it slowly, helping to regulate the temperature of the pillow surface. This can help to reduce the
sensation of heat and improve sleep quality for people who are prone to overheating at night.
The combinations between these two inspiration ideas helps the innovation of a new product.

Innovation Potential

After the analysis on the needs of the customer, the final product is required to meet with
the customer needs in order to ensure a high sale of the product. Advertisement on various

35
platform must be utilized to its fullest as it plays an important role in promoting the Chill-O-
Chair in this new era. Platform such as Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok can be used to
promote our product to the customer and by doing this, the number of customers can be
greatly increased. Chill-O-Chair is an ergonomic chair that has an aesthetic design and is
customizable thus it is believed that this product can achieve a high profit sale in the first few
years of production as it features a new technology.

Who

Chill-O-Chair target market covers quite a large range of customer starting with
customer who are currently still studying and in dire need for a comfortable chair to work on.
Next is customer who are working in the office as they are required to sit at their office and
spend long hours at their desk. Lastly are for those who are working as a content creator as
they are also required to spend quite some time sitting doing their work. Chill-O-Chair is one
of the few products that is suitable for a wide range of age of customer. For those who are
quite old and is suffering from back pain, they can use Chill-O-Chair to reduce the strain on
their neck and back and prevent any further injuries.

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4.0 CONCLUSION

Based on the New Product Development analysis of our product, Chill-o-chair has the
potential to be a profit-making invention and be a helpful innovation especially to our target
market which are students, office worker and content creator as most of them are required to
spend most of their working hours at their desk. As the production of ergonomic chairs are a
common innovation nowadays, there are a few limitations that our company will face such as
the costing and quality of the material used but it is believed that Chill-o-chair will be able to
overcome these limitations. Based on the survey, 94.3% of the respondents are interested in
purchasing our Chill-o-chair for them to be used in their daily lives. It is safe to say that this
ergonomic chair can be extremely successful and favor exceptional performance when
compared to traditional ones. Chill-o-chair has many advantages such as providing support to
the lumbar and neck while preventing any back pain and strain towards the spine. Besides,
Chill-o-chair can also provide a cooling sensation for the user and enabling the user to sit
without having to feel uncomfortable due to the heat build-up in the chair.

During the design of the product, a few factors was taken into consideration such as
the durability and reliability of the product. These factors are crucial to ensure that the
performance of the product is top tier during the usage of the product. It is also to prevent any
damage to the product when using it where it can also cause an injury to the user if the product
is broken. By doing the survey, it can be seen that the optimal price of the Chill-o-chair was
between RM100 to RM 200 where it can be considered as affordable among the target market.
To help meet market demand, our product will, however, be adjusted continuously throughout
the commercialization process. In this way, we will be able to compete with the traditional
options until our product overtakes them as the top ergonomic chair option.

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References

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FNEW 83-269: A Description of the Method with Drawings.
• Alexiev, A. (2022, March 1). How long do office chairs really last. Office Topics.
Retrieved January 8, 2023, from https://officetopics.com/how-long-office-chairs-last/
• Downer, S. (2022, January 27). Device lifespan: How long will your tech
last? Webformix Wireless Internet. Retrieved January 8, 2023, from
https://www.webformix.com/tech-device-lifespan/
• Serle, J. (2020, April 21). How long do biodegradable bags take to decompose? BBC
Science Focus Magazine. Retrieved January 8, 2023, from
https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/how-long-do-biodegradable-bags-take-to-
decompose/
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ERU Symposium, January 2008.
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data-historical

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APPENDICES

Questionnaire survey through Google Form

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40