Robots in 2023 Hajj Season … AI at the Service of the Pilgrims
As part of its endeavor to harness artificial intelligence to improve pilgrim service, Saudi Arabia continued during the 2023 Hajj season to employ smart robots to serve pilgrims.
Saudi Arabia has used smart robots over the past two years to serve pilgrims and Umrah pilgrims. This is aiming to improve the work system and its distinction and to help it implement controls and precautionary measures to confront the Coronavirus pandemic.
Saudi Arabia seeks to capitalize on its success in organizing two consecutive Hajj seasons in exceptional circumstances and employ the lessons learned from them in creating an atmosphere of devotion and an environment of faith that enables pilgrims to efficiently perform their rituals.
This was evident through the expansion of robots and artificial intelligence techniques during the current Hajj season. This was done to improve the pilgrims’ service.
In the following report, Leaders MENA lists the most prominent robots used in the 2023 Hajj season:
Guidance robot … Fatwas in 11 languages
The “guidance robot” guides pilgrims on how to perform the rituals, with the possibility of simultaneous translation into languages, and communicating with the sheikhs from a distance.
The robot represents the General Presidency for Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque. It harnesses artificial intelligence in fatwa operations inside the Grand Mosque.
The guidance robot supports 11 languages: Arabic, English, French, Russian, Persian, Turkish, Malay, Urdu, Chinese, Bengali, and Hausa via a 21-inch touch screen. It can be used to perform many services and those who come to the Grand Mosque need assistance, counseling, and opinions.
The robot moves on 4 wheels and is equipped with a smart stopping system that allows it to move smoothly and flexibly. It has a system of front and rear cameras with excellent resolution and clarity in transferring images. This allows the robot to capture a surround image of the place, high-definition headphones, and a microphone with high-quality capture that provides clear sound transmission. It works on a wireless network system (Wi-Fi) at a (5) GHz speed, enabling fast and efficient data transmission.
Zamzam robot … 30 packages per round
The Saudi government has also harnessed artificial intelligence techniques to provide bottles of Zamzam water. This is part of its efforts to develop a service system at the Grand Mosque.
The robot can run for 5-8 hours without human intervention, making people feel easy to deal with. This makes it a qualitative leap in Zamzam water history.
The robot distributes 30 packages in one round.
The robot contains upper and lower cameras, and laser sensors to survey the field in front of it; to avoid obstacles if they arise.
The disinfection robot covers 1000 sqm per hour
The Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques also provided a robot to purify the Grand Mosque. This robot covers large areas inside the Grand Mosque and its facilities. The robot works for 4 hours, with a capacity of more than 68 liters of water, and covers more than 1,000 square meters per working hour. This is without human intervention.
It uses cameras, ground and overhead sensors, seat belts, and a feature to read small and large objects. This is to prevent collisions with people or objects on the ground.
The robot weighs 300 kilograms, with a tank of 68.14 liters for clean water, and another displacement tank with a capacity of 68.14 liters for water from the floors.
The robot is characterized by fast and energy-saving charging and 8 cameras that act as sensors.
It is also characterized by not making sounds that could affect the atmosphere of the worshippers and the congregation in the Grand Mosque.
Sterilization robot … Eliminates bacteria in 600 sqm
The Agency for Field Services and Affairs and Environmental Protection Investigation headed by the Two Holy Mosques has employed 11 robots for sterilization and epidemic control inside the Grand Mosque, making the Grand Mosque in Mecca the most sterilized in the world.
The robots sterilize and cover all sides of the Grand Mosque, with an automated control system programmed on a pre-map. This improves the environmental health atmosphere. It intelligently analyzes sterilization requirements, according to usage scenarios, the sterilization path, and the independently planned period. This provides complete coverage of the environmental space.
One robot can operate for 5-8 hours without human intervention, and the device has a capacity of 23.8 liters, consuming 2 liters every hour, eliminates bacteria in an area of 600 square meters each round, and can walk 3 kilometers continuously without human intervention.
50 E-services
In addition to providing many smart robots to improve services in the Grand Mosque and its courtyards, and to facilitate the work of the Presidency’s employees to serve pilgrims and visitors to the Two Holy Mosques, the use of electronic services has been expanded.
The Two Holy Mosques witness the interest of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques in providing technical, digital, and artificial intelligence services. This is in line with its “2024” strategic plan.
This includes 50 different electronic services, 10 applications, and 4 websites, including specific work areas that will contribute to the maintenance, operation, and development of electronic systems and services, operation, maintenance, and configuration of servers, operation, maintenance, and composition of wired and wireless distributors, setting up data center rooms, and other services.