The Islamic prayer is now going digital, with a prototype of a new prayer mat with built-in sensors, lights, and a display screen to show scripture, alert the user to the next prayer time and find the direction of Mecca. “It will increase their understanding of the scriptures and the quality of the prayer,” says the Muslim inventor Wael Aboulsaadat.
How it works…
The sensors embedded in the rug can detect the user’s posture and if the worshipper makes an error (such as missing or adding a step in the prayer sequence) the sensors will vibrate. It’s a subtle way to help correct the error without breaking the user’s concentration, Aboulsaadat says. “It’s important not to interrupt flow, because that interrupts the focus of prayer.” As well, the user can recite and follow along with the scripture on the screen. “You can customize and choose which prayers to read.”
Three modes…
In addition to the eRug’s prayer mode, the device also has a notification mode that alerts the user to upcoming prayer times (devout Muslims are expected to pray five times a day facing the direction of the holy city of Mecca) and important religious holidays. The eRug’s third mode acts like a compass – complete with a 3D model of the mosque in Mecca – so the user can find its direction wherever he or she may be.
Aboulsaadat will be planning to do simular things for people of other faiths, but since he’s a Muslim he started with the e-rug first.
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