eRug Helps Devout Stay on Course

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, May 29, 2008--If you think religion is stuck in the Middle Ages, think again. A new electronic prayer mat for Muslims is using the digital revolution to keep followers on the straight and narrow.

The eRug is equipped with numerous gadgets, including a compass to find the direction of Mecca, sensors that vibrate if the user goes wrong during the prayer sequence and lights so the mat can be used in the dark. It is also equipped with a screen to display verses from the Koran and an electronic diary of prayer times and religious holidays.

People of all religions could use a device that would enhance their prayers, says inventor Wael Aboulsaadat, a doctoral student at the University of Toronto.

Catholics learning their catechism, a Buddhist wanting deeper meditation, a Jew studying the Torah all could benefit from a digital device that would remind, correct and allow for customization. The elderly and those with cognitive and memory disabilities are other target groups. Aboulsaadat hopes to develop devices for all major religions but because he is Muslim he decided to start with the eRug first.

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.

The operating system tells the software where in the world the eRug is in relation to Mecca and the electronic compass helps determine the right direction to pray.

A prayer device must respect the religion's rules otherwise it would be rejected by religious authorities and the devout alike. So Aboulsaadat is creating the eRug in consultation with an Islamic scholar to make sure the eRug adheres to Islam's practices.