Product Idea Evaluation
Product Idea Description:
The Covid-19 pandemic has completely changed the way we lived. Wearing face masks has become an essential tool to keep ourselves and the community safe. Everyone is wearing a face mask in Singapore, but nothing protects our hands from the contaminated surfaces. According to a recent study by Australia’s national agency, the Covid-19 virus can survive on stainless steel and remain infectious for up to 28 days (Tan, 2020). Something as fundamental as pushing a button has become a personal safety hazard during this pandemic.
Due to the pandemic, most public spaces are not designed to handle such a situation. Therefore, designs often required the need to touch surfaces unavoidable. For instance, the pedestrian crossing push button is one of the most frequently touched surfaces. Some of us would have witnessed instances when the pedestrian crossing push button indicator was not illuminated. No one had pushed the button, and everyone is just waiting for the preceding change in traffic lights. This occurs more frequently during the pandemic. Since everyone is more cautious and conscious, they try to minimize contact with public surfaces.
However, not everyone is patient enough to wait for the following change in traffic lights. People resort to an alternative to trigger the button, such as using tissue, keys, elbow bump, and even shoe, which had sparked outrage online (Zhang, 2020). A straightforward solution would be to replace the push button with a fully automated system. Such a traffic light system is often seen in the central business district in Singapore, where there are virtually always pedestrians crossing the junctions. However, installing such a traffic light system in estate areas is not practical as pedestrians would have to wait for a fixed time to cross the road, and traffic would have to stop even when no pedestrians are crossing.
There is undoubtedly a need to redesign the pedestrian push button to reduce the likelihood of virus transmission through public surfaces regarding the above issues. The pandemic will likely have permanent effects on the way we live, socialize, and move about. Therefore, the product must address the current situation and be a post-pandemic innovative solution.
xTouch Green Man
After many careful considerations, the idea of xTouch Green Man was developed. The main objective of xTouch Green Man is to prevent pedestrian crossing push button from handing contact while still controlling the pedestrian crossing phase. The first changes are the introduction of the infrared sensor. These infrared sensors are similar to infrared sensors that are widely used for contactless door release. Such a sensor has sufficient functionality, is effective, and, most importantly, cheap, making it feasible and advantageous for mass production. The use of such a sensor is feasible and sustainable as it consumes little energy usage. In addition, the infrared sensor used was built with increased sensitivity and had a sensing algorithm.
The second modification is the reinvention of the push button. Instead of completely removing the push button, the control was redesigned and shifted to the bottom of the traffic light pole to allow operation with the foot. Unlike traditional push buttons, the design was developed with an Omni-directional stainless-steel metal and implemented using shunt mode force-sensing resistor technology (Perabo, 2016). Such a method used will trigger the traffic light control when pressure is detected. This function was retained and resigned mainly to serve the vision impaired, providing alternatives control for pedestrians. In addition, directional tactile paving will be installed in front of the metal pressure detector to help vision-impaired pedestrians located the pressure detector
With all these implementations, xTouch Green Man will allow pedestrians to control the pedestrian crossing phase conveniently. To make a call using the sensor, pedestrians would have to wave across the infrared sensor. With the built-in sensing algorithm, the sensor can be triggered by placing small objects such as phones or travel umbrellas in front of the sensor. For the metal pressure detector, pedestrians would have to give it a slight tap using their shoes to trigger the pedestrian crossing. Given the design of the pressure detector, a slight tap would be sufficient to trigger the pedestrian crossing, and any larger forces are unlikely to result in any damage to the device. Additionally, a beep sound will serve as an indicator of the activation using either method.
Opportunity Evaluation:
SIZE
xTouch Green Man targets all the traffic lights that are not operating on the fully automated system in Singapore. According to an article by TODAYonline, amidst the pandemic, there have been suggestions made to Land Transport Authority (LTA) to disable or completely remove the push button due to hygiene concerns (Tang, 2020).
According to Data.gov.sg (2018), Singapore had around 2449 traffic lights in 2018, and the extrapolated figures currently are approximated to be around 2600. Given the serious concerns and if LTA decides to revamp all the traffic lights in Singapore, the market size and market value can be evaluated as follows:
Market Size & Value:
Assuming 90% of the traffic light in Singapore is operating in nonautomated system, the market size is approximated to be 2340 units.
Estimated production cost: ~S$30/unit
Selling price: S$180/unit
Profit margin: S$150/unit
Market value: ~S$351k
Potentials:
The market value for such a small primary market like Singapore is undoubtedly promising. With many other huge countries with large populations facing similar issues, it is entirely possible to expand xTouch Green Man to the global market. Countries such as the U.S are multiple times larger than Singapore, and just a couple of states adopting the technology, the product can be profitable.
SUSTAINABILITY
A study conducted by the International Journal of Health Policy and Management on COVID-19-related preventive behaviors has shown that 79.9% of the respondents avoided touching public surfaces more than usual during the pandemic (Ozdemir et al., 2020). And even way before the pandemic outbreak, there have already been several concerns about the bacteria present on public surfaces. A study conducted in 2010 has shown that public surfaces such as lift buttons are, in fact, 40 times dirtier than a toilet seat (Derbyshire, 2010).
Such statistics and concerns have shown that the xTouch Green Man product is not redundant but purposeful. It is able to resolve the public hygiene issue associated with traditional pedestrian crossing push buttons. On top of that, xTouch Green Man can also contribute significantly to Singapore’s Smart Nation Sensor Platform, a Smart Nation initiative by the Government Technology Agency (Government Technology Agency, 2017). There are advantages over traditional suppliers with these few benefits, keeping the competitors away from the market.
This product will also be patented to safeguard the invention from reproduction and replication of a similar product. Doing so will further keep competitors away.
SCALABILITY
Since the xTouch Green Man product is meant for the current pandemic situation and a post-pandemic product, it can be further scaled into the global market. A promising starting target segment would be capital cities in Asia. Reason being that capital cities are often the highest tier in terms of city-tier classification and would often be willing to adopt the latest technology. As such, the product can then be further expanded to capital cities beyond Asia. With positive impact and reviews, it could even be possible for any country to extend the technology to the whole nation.
As increasing cities are moving towards smart cities and with Singapore widely recognized as leading the way it will benefit the product when Singapore adopts such technology (Kozowatz, 2020). Taking advantage of such a situation can increase the value and service of the product, resulting in the network growing by itself. This will enable xTouch Green Man to benefits from the direct network effect.
Furthermore, modifications can even be made to the current product to serve the needs of another market segment. One of the possible areas would be the lifts. Similar technology with the use of infrared sensors and pressure detectors can be implemented to remodel charges.
Mission Statement
Product Description
A remodelled traffic light that provides pedestrians better alternatives to activate the pedestrian crossing phase. Pedestrians can trigger the crossing phase using the touchless method by a single wave across the sensor or by applying pressure to the pressure sensor plated located at the bottom of the traffic light poles using their shoes.
Key Business Goals
Development budget: S$100,000
Development timeframe:
3 months to build prototype.
4 months for improvements, finalizing & testing.
1 month for mass production.
Target to bring product into the market by the end of 8 months.
Market Share:
First batch of production will allocate 80% to LTA and the remaining 20% to growing smart cities.
Second batch of production will cater to capital cities around the world.
Subsequent batch of production serve remaining first-tier cities and interested cities.
Selling Price: S$180
Gross Margins: 83%
Cost: ~S$30
Patent will be filled for the dual traffic light control system to safeguard the invention as well as to increase market position.
Primary Market
Market: LTA in Singapore
Market size: 90% of the traffic light system in Singapore which is approximated to be around 2340 units.
Collective business model will be used. The aim is to partner with LTA to address the issue and concerns with the current system. This will also allow long-term competitiveness rather than short-term gains.
Secondary Markets
Growing smart cities
Capital cities
First-tier cities
Assumptions & Constraints
Design and function are suitable for different terrain platforms.
Technology efficiency will not be affected by wet weather.
Product is in compliance with Singapore guidelines from LTA and Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).
Quality used for the pressure sensor is able to withstand large stress.
Stakeholders
Suppliers (Infrared sensors and pressure sensors)
Manufacturers (Manufacturing and assembly in China)
Service operators (LTA contractors)
Regulatory agencies (LTA)
Certification bodies (LTA and IMDA)
References
Data.gov.sg. (2018). Number of Traffic Lights. https://data.gov.sg/dataset/traffic-lights
Derbyshire, D. (2010, September 24). Lift buttons ‘are 40 times dirtier than toilet seats’. Daily Mail Online. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1314717/Lift-buttons-40-times-dirtier-toilet-seats.html
Government Technology Agency. (2017). Smart Nation Sensor Platform. https://www.tech.gov.sg/files/media/speeches/2017/05/FactsheetSmartNationSensorPlatform.pdf
Kozowatz, J. (2020, February 3). Top 10 Growing Smart Cities. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers. https://www.asme.org/topics-resources/content/top-10-growing-smart-cities
Ozdemir, S., Ng, S., Chaudhry, I., Finkelstein, E. (2020). Adoption of Preventive Behaviour Strategies and Public Perceptions About COVID-19 in Singapore. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, (), -. doi: 10.34172/ijhpm.2020.199
Perabo, C. (2016, November 24). How do force sensitive resistor (FSR) sensor work?. Caplinq Blog. https://www.caplinq.com/blog/force-sensitive-resistor-fsr-sensor_1638/
Tan, C. (2020, November 19). askST: Can I get infected with Covid-19 from touching a contaminated surface?. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/askst-can-i-get-infected-with-covid-19-from-touching-a-contaminated-surface
Tang, F, M. (2020, June 12). Remove push buttons for pedestrians at road crossings. TODAYonline. https://www.todayonline.com/voices/remove-push-buttons-pedestrians-road-crossings
Zheng, Z. (2020, April 5). Woman uses her shoe to press traffic light button at Tanah Merah, sparks anger from commenters. Mothership.SG. https://mothership.sg/2020/04/tanah-merah-traffic-light-foot/
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