Seven years after the September 201 stampede that left more than seven hundred people dead, the government of Saudi Arabia is ramping up it’s security measures for the visitors of Mecca and Medina
In its quest to record no casualty, crime and loss of kids or items during the annual pilgrimage exercises (Umrah and Hajj),the government of has commissioned and developed a technology to ease its operations during the exercises.
The newly developed technology named “Al Algorithms” was designed for crowd management amongst other benefits with the use of drones to streamline crowd control measures and ensure that pilgrims and visitors are safe and comfortable while at the Two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina respectively.
Efforts are being made to increase the capacity of receiving visitors, which include Hajj and Umrah pilgrims at the Two Holy Mosques in line with the target of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
AI Algorithms is being designed and monitored by the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) formed a strategic partnership on developing algorithms to upgrade services at the two holiest sites of Muslim world.
The Holy Mosque tweeted on Thursday:
https://twitter.com/theholymosques/status/1570463234746122242“AI technologies introduced recently at the Two Holy Mosques have been helping greatly in keeping crowds under control as they enter and leave, thanks to faster decision-making, while ensuring that no more than the right number of people are present anywhere around the Holy Mosques at any given time,” Director of Public Security in the ministry of Interior, Al-Bassami was quoted as saying
“A set of capabilities had been worked out using artificial intelligence, establishing a platform called ‘Aamin’ (meaning ‘safe’ in Arabic), and we are cooperating with a number of companies to establish data analysis centers.
“This is in addition to empowering security men deployed in the field in using technology directly through several applications, apart from automated monitoring systems.”
Some of the benefits of Al Algorithms include; carrying out the tasks of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages through facilitating the identification of pilgrims, helps in finding lost children apart from the management of crowds
It also helps in relieving the lumps during the circumambulation that cause disasters and uncovers quarrels and offenses amongst other benefits.