Hajj 1443 … Intelligent robots race to serve the pilgrims of God’s house
Dr. Rajaa showkat
In parallel with the Kingdom’s accelerating steps for digital transformation, the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has advanced the use of information technology and its use to serve the pilgrims, making it a cornerstone for launching all services to improve the experience of the pilgrim.
The Kingdom announced the application of SOUDA VISA BIO, a 100% Saudi application, through which the pilgrim can take vital characteristics from his home and send them to the National Information Center directly to facilitate all services.
A digital pilgrimage to confront the emerging corona
This year’s Hajj season is witnessing forms of unprecedented modern technologies that depend on digital transformation, such as artificial intelligence techniques and fifth-generation technologies, to serve the pilgrims of the Sacred House of God through (smart robots) to distribute Zamzam water bottles without contact or impediment to movement, as this technology works on achieving safety for the pilgrims, and it distributes 90 packages of Zamzam with each prayer, at a rate of 450 packages per day, where the carrying capacity of the robot is 30 packages and its work extends for eight continuous hours.
To present an exceptional season to confront the new Coronavirus, the Two Holy Mosques Affairs Department prepared an ambitious plan, by providing two types of robots to enrich the experience of the pilgrim and facilitate his performance of the fifth pillar of Islam.
The security robot works to monitor and follow up the pilgrims in adhering to the preventive measures following the health protocols in force, as it works to measure the temperature of the pilgrim and observe his commitment to wearing the muzzle through the artificial intelligence techniques provided with it.
It also undertakes the process of constantly disinfecting and sterilizing the place, as it can be controlled remotely through the monitoring and control platform. The digitization of Hajj also helps to track visitors to the House of God in case of loss and directs them to perform the rituals and ensure the application of health protocol rules, especially with the spread of mutated versions of the Coronavirus.
As the Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs Ahmed Al-Tawfiq explained, the ministry will work hard to make all the necessary arrangements to organize the Hajj season 1443, and that the ministry will work to complete all arrangements related to transportation, housing, logistics, and services, despite the short preparation period for this season compared to previous seasons.
Hajj decisions 1443…Recovery and be careful
The Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs decided this year to raise the number of pilgrims to one million pilgrims from inside and outside the Kingdom and set special requirements related to the prevention of the emerging need of the Coronavirus, that the age of the pilgrim should be less than 65 years, with the completion of immunization with basic doses of deliberate Corona vaccines from the Saudi Ministry of Health, as well as providing the result of the corona examination is negative for a sample taken 72 hours before departure.
