1 Sep '14
A start-up from Makhachkala in Dagestan, southern Russia, has come up with an out of the ordinary new product. Its electronic prayer mat helps Muslims keep track of rakats, the ritual movements and words used in Islamic prayer, Rusbase.com .
The electronic prayer mat is equipped with touch sensors which are believed to be able to help users not to lose count during prayers. If a worshipper makes a mistake, forgetting the order or changing position at the wrong time, the sensors begin to vibrate, helping him realize his mistake without disturbing the ritual.
Developer Eldar Klyichev has pitched the prayer mat at the Plug and Play Tech Center accelerator. The product has a huge potential market, spanning the whole of the Muslim world.
It is already patented in Russia and is awaiting a decision with regards to its international patent. The start-up’s founders are looking for $14,000 in investment to test the mat and then produce a small batch.