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Accelerating market introduction of Active Noise Cancelling headrest solutions

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - recalm ANC headrest (Accelerating market introduction of Active Noise Cancelling headrest solutions)

Reporting period: 2018-12-01 to 2019-05-31

recalm develops an Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) product for Off-Highway machinery.

Noise causes stress. Noise makes sick. In short: noise harms us. Considering the statements of the WHO and professional associations, it becomes clear that not only one in eight people suffers from hearing impairment, but it also represents the second most frequent occupational disease. This affects above all people who are permanently exposed to noise and have few opportunities to escape from it. These are for example car and truck drivers or air and bus travellers. This also includes drivers of construction and agricultural machinery. Finding qualified drivers is a problem. Therefore, many employers are keen to make the workplace (driver's cab) as ergonomic as possible. They are showing a growing willingness to spend money on innovative extras in the construction and agricultural machinery. Health and comfort play a key role in this. Construction and agricultural machinery manufacturers operate in a highly innovative market, which is increasingly opening to the new impulses from other sectors. This is due to cost savings and sales growth potential as well as better productivity and an additional benefit when looking for employees.

SME Instrument Phase I provided the opportunity to organise a beta phase as well as the bauma fair in Munich where we could talk to both, potential clients (OEM) and end-users (driver). Due to the bauma exhibition we generated additional leads that helped us verifying the assumptions made. Most of the customers confirmed they are having immense issues with noise in general. What we found interesting was the fact that more and more customers identified higher frequencies, mostly coming from the hydraulic, are annoying, too. This additional pain point challenges our technology as our product is most efficient for low frequencies. In conclusion, the feasibility study demonstrated that the ANC system by recalm can become a solution to noise problems inside the machinery's cabs.
1. Together with a strategic partner a detailed project plan for the upcoming beta phase was drafted. As planned, it was followed by a Kick-Off meeting.
2. The bauma fair, which took place in April 2019, was used to acquiere beta testers.
3. As planned the organisation and communication of the bauma fair took place. Together with recalms partner companies the preparation started five months in advance.
4. The booth were planned as well as content for public relations was drafted. Classic marketing material such as Roll-Ups, flyer and merchandise was designed and produced. In addition, two videos were produced at the fair. Both videos had to be planned before, too.
5. Finally, a fotographer was hired to take pictures of the trade show appearance. The overall feedback of the bauma fair was extraordinarily good.
6. The recalm team talked to over 200 decicion-makers from over 130 corporates. 41 of those companies were seriously interested in participating in the beta phase.
7. At the fair as well as afterwards some feature requests followed from the talks.
8. Thanks to that recalm now knows that many potential clients not only face issues regarding low frequencies but also need a product solution for higher frequencies that are mainly coming from the machinerys hydraulic systems. Regarding the hardware no crucial feedback was gained.
Since the objectives within this project were the organisation and execution of a beta phase as well as the organisation and execuition of the bauma fair, no progress beyond state of the art was achieved. Nonetheless the bauma fair gave us the opportunity to gain a huge marketing effect. The prototype as well as the company were boosted by the Exhibition of the product. Since over 600.000 visitors attended at bauma the socio-economic impact slightly took place.
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