One of the five pillars of Islam is that the faithful must, at least once in their lives, gather for the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Physically rigorous, the journey makes great demands upon the body; rest becomes a spiritual necessity.
(The nap pod in Saudi Arabia)
The nap pods provide a solution for pilgrims of limited means who cannot afford to book hotels on site but need a quick rest during hajj.
Each napper will have three hours of access to the pods, which are imported from Japan at cost of around $1,114 (1,000 euros) each.
When the pilgrim wakes for prayer time — five times daily in Islam — workers will sterilize the pod before handing it over to the next pilgrim.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!)
is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for
the Invention Category that interests
you, the Glossary, the Invention
Timeline, or see what's New.
Russians Think US Is Weaponizing Asteroids
'BY PUSHING AGAINST THE
LITTLE MARTIAN MOON WITH OUR
ROCKET SHIP, WE HAD LESSENED
THE CENTRIFUGAL SPEED THAT
HELD IT BALANCED IN THE SKY.'