Towards Hajj and Umrah Digital
Transformation Using Smartwatches
Many of us now rely on smartwatches as an
integral part of our lives. The smartwatch market has become one of the world’s
most popular and best-selling markets. They have been used in various fields
like health and sports. They have valuable features that assist people in their
daily lives. With Hajj and Umrah undergoing digital transformation,
smartwatches can be used to enhance pilgrims’ experience during sacred rituals.
NUSK is a smartwatch launched by (SDAIA) in Hajj season 1442 AH (2021) to
provide several services like displaying pilgrims’ information and health
status, monitoring their health data, and requesting emergency medical or security
assistance. It is vital to develop similar projects and build upon the success
of NUSK. Hence, this work uses “Bangle.js”, an open-source (sw/hw) smartwatch,
to present some Hajj and Umrah applications to enhance the pilgrim’s experience
in the sacred journey and to help achieve our country’s ambitious vision
towards Hajj and Umrah digital transformation. We also propose incorporating “Bangle.js”
into the labs of microprocessor courses at Saudi Computer Colleges to allow
students to broaden their skills, abilities, and thinking toward real-life
applications facilitating digital transformation.
[1] “Gartner Forecasts Global Spending on
Wearable Devices to Total $81.5 Billion in 2021,” Gartner. https:// er.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2021-01-11-gartner-forecasts-global-spending-on-wearable-devices-to-total-81-5-billion-in-2021
(accessed Jul. 15, 2023).
[2] “Smartwatch
Market Size, Share & Industry Growth | Analysis - 2027,” Allied Market
Research. https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/smartwatch-market (accessed
Jul. 15, 2023).
[3] “Smartwatch
Market Grows 24% YoY in 2021, Records Highest Ever Quarterly Shipments in Q4,” Counterpoint
Research, Mar. 14, 2022.
https://www.counterpointresearch.com/global-smartwatch-market-2021/ (accessed
Jul. 15, 2023).
[4] “Personal
Transformation: Smartwatches | Digital Transformation.”
https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/epdf/10.1142/9789811214639_0010 (accessed
Jul. 15, 2023).
[5] P.
C. Verhoef et al., “Digital transformation: A multidisciplinary
reflection and research agenda,” J. Bus. Res., vol. 122, pp. 889–901,
Jan. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.09.022.
[6] “Saudi
Arabi: Leadership of Digital Economy in the Middle East.” Accessed: Jul. 15,
2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.mcit.gov.sa/sites/default/files/2023-03/MCIT_DEC_23_En_V7.pdf
[7] Falhamid2@,
“Employing digital transformation to maximize Hajj services: Automation of
decision-making and risk governance,” Okaz, Aug. 15, 2021.
https://www.okaz.com.sa/news/local/2078781 (accessed Jul. 15, 2023).
[8] “Hajj-report.pdf.”
Accessed: Jul. 15, 2023. [Online]. Available:
https://ndu.gov.sa/sites/default/files/2021-09/Hajj-report.pdf
[9] “Pilgrim
Experience Program,” Vision 2030.
https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/v2030/vrps/pep/ (accessed Jul. 15, 2023).
[10] A.
Aljuwaiber and A. K. Elnagar, “Predicting Pilgrim and Visitor Satisfaction
Through Using Smartphone Applications at Holy Sites During Covid-19,” Virtual
Econ., vol. 5, no. 3, Art. no. 3, Nov. 2022, doi:
10.34021/ve.2022.05.03(5).
[11] “Smartwatch
| Fitness Tracking, Wearable Tech & Health Monitoring | Britannica,” Jun.
06, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/technology/smartwatch (accessed Jul. 15,
2023).
[12] “Google
Trends,” Google Trends.
https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&q=smartwatch (accessed
Jul. 15, 2023).
[13] “SDAIA,
DARP & STC Launch Pilgrim’s Smart Bracelet (NUSK) The official Saudi Press
Agency.” https://sp.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2259982
(accessed Jul. 15, 2023).
[14] S.
M. Alghamdi, A. S. Alsulayyim, J. S. Alqahtani, and A. M. Aldhahir, “Digital
Health Platforms in Saudi Arabia: Determinants from the COVID-19 Pandemic
Experience,” Healthcare, vol. 9, no. 11, Art. no. 11, Nov. 2021, doi:
10.3390/healthcare9111517.
[15] “Hajj
\ Artificial intelligence applications and technologies make it easier for
pilgrims to perform their rituals.”
https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=ar&newsid=2262638 (accessed
Jul. 15, 2023).
[16] SDAIA
[@SDAIA_SA], “سوار
الحاج الذكي (نُسك).. خدمة تقنية فريدة؛ لتحسين رحلة الحاج. #سدايا
#سوار_الحاج_الذكي #بسلام_آمنين https://t.co/Csww0DxzRw,” Twitter,
Jul. 14, 2021. https://twitter.com/SDAIA_SA/status/1415297816033890309
(accessed Jul. 15, 2023).
[17] إمارة منطقة مكة المكرمة
[@makkahregion], “#انفوجرافيك
تعرّف على #سوار_الحاج_الذكي (نُسك).. أحد الخدمات الجديدة التي طورتها #سدايا
بالتعاون مع وزارة الحج والعمرة وبرنامج خدمة ضيوف الرحمن ??
https://t.co/4izFTDHEEw,” Twitter, Jul. 14, 2021.
https://twitter.com/makkahregion/status/1415360510036434948 (accessed Jul. 15,
2023).
[18] E.
A. Felemban et al., “Digital Revolution for Hajj Crowd Management: A
Technology Survey,” IEEE Access, vol. 8, pp. 208583–208609, 2020, doi:
10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3037396.
[19] A.
Aljohani, S. Nejaim, M. Khayyat, and O. Aboulola, “E-government and logistical
health services during Hajj season,” Bull. Natl. Res. Cent., vol. 46,
no. 1, p. 112, Apr. 2022, doi: 10.1186/s42269-022-00801-4.
[20] A.
J. Showail, “Solving Hajj and Umrah Challenges Using Information and
Communication Technology: A Survey,” IEEE Access, vol. 10, pp.
75404–75427, 2022, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3190853.
[21] “Bangle.js
- Espruino.” https://www.espruino.com/Bangle.js (accessed Jul. 15, 2023).
[22] “Espruino
Web IDE.” https://www.espruino.com/ide/ (accessed Jul. 15, 2023).
[23] DaqiqahSW,
“Bangle.js App Loader (and Apps).” May 21, 2022. Accessed: Jul. 15, 2023.
[Online]. Available: https://github.com/DaqiqahSW/BangleApps
[24] كيفية استخدام الساعة الذكية
#Bangle.js, (May 28, 2022). Accessed: Jul. 15, 2023.
[Online Video]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfcM5CErpng
[25] “Prayer
Times for a city Mecca, 1444.”
https://www.ummulqura.org.sa/yearprayer.aspx?l=39.83&m=21.42&t=3.00&year=1444&day=27&city=Mecca
(accessed Jul. 15, 2023).
[26] “BangleApps/apps/athan
at master · DaqiqahSW/BangleApps · GitHub.”
https://github.com/DaqiqahSW/BangleApps/tree/master/apps/athan (accessed Jul.
15, 2023).
[27] “BangleApps/apps/mguide
at master · DaqiqahSW/BangleApps,” GitHub.
https://github.com/DaqiqahSW/BangleApps/tree/master/apps/mguide (accessed Jul.
15, 2023).
[28] “BangleApps/apps/hrm
at master · espruino/BangleApps · GitHub.”
https://github.com/espruino/BangleApps/tree/master/apps/hrm (accessed Jul. 15,
2023).
[29] “BangleApps/apps/hbm
at master · DaqiqahSW/BangleApps,” GitHub. https://github.com/DaqiqahSW/BangleApps/tree/master/apps/hbm
(accessed Jul. 15, 2023).
[30] “BangleApps/apps/misbaha
at master · DaqiqahSW/BangleApps,” GitHub.
https://github.com/DaqiqahSW/BangleApps/tree/master/apps/misbaha (accessed Jul.
15, 2023).
[31] M.
K. Shambour and A. Gutub, “Progress of IoT Research Technologies and
Applications Serving Hajj and Umrah,” Arab. J. Sci. Eng., vol. 47, no.
2, pp. 1253–1273, Feb. 2022, doi: 10.1007/s13369-021-05838-7.
[32] M.
Binsawad and M. Albahar, “A Technology Survey on IoT Applications Serving Umrah
and Hajj,” Appl. Comput. Intell. Soft Comput., vol. 2022, p. e1919152,
Aug. 2022, doi: 10.1155/2022/1919152.