(from left) Rizal Risnanda Hutama SKom MKom, Ir Achmad Holil Noor Ali MKom with Hanny, Fathia Rahmanisa, Luthfi Hakim Irawan, and Kahfin Ilham as the Mecca Mate design team

ITS Campus, ITS News — The lack of knowledge among some pilgrims often poses a challenge during the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. Addressing this issue, students from Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) have designed a platform called Mecca Mate, an assistant for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.

Team leader Luthfi Hakim Irawan noted that not all pilgrims can prepare thoroughly for Hajj and Umrah. Due to time constraints, some pilgrims do not have the opportunity to attend training sessions or read guidebooks before their journey to the Holy Land. As a result, they often face confusion regarding the rituals and directions to various pilgrimage sites.

Recognizing this problem, Luthfi, along with Fathia Rahmanisa, Hanny, and Kahfin Ilham from the ITS Department of Information Systems, Class of 2021, took the initiative to create a platform to address these issues. Mecca Mate is a chatbot-based platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that facilitates two-way communication.

Luthfi Hakim Irawan (left) when representing the Mecca Mate ITS team received the second place award in the Community category at the 2024 Inovboyo competitionLuthfi explained that the chatbot format makes it easier for pilgrims to access information. Users simply input their queries as they would in a regular chat, and the platform provides the desired information. “This way, the platform offers personalized guidance,” Luthfi added.

Visitors visiting the Mecca Mate booth, an innovative work by ITS students at the Inovboyo 2024 exhibition

Additionally, the team, under the guidance of Ir Achmad Holil Noor Ali MKom, recognized that pilgrims also face challenges with their luggage. The desire to bring gifts for family members often leads to exceeding baggage allowances. “To address this, we also developed Hajjstore,” said Luthfi.

Hajjstore is an e-commerce platform offering various Hajj and Umrah necessities, including gifts. Pilgrims can order gifts online, which will be delivered once they return to Indonesia. This service benefits both pilgrims and local SMEs. “Hajjstore is integrated into the chatbot to simplify user experience,” he explained.

Hanny (left) and Fathia Rahmanisa showing the appearance of the Mecca Mate platform designed by their team from the ITS Information Systems Department

This innovative platform, developed since early 2024, recently won second place in the community category at the 2024 Inovasi Suroboyo (Inovboyo) competition. Inovboyo is an annual competition organized by the Surabaya City Government as part of the city’s anniversary celebrations. Its goal is to encourage regional departments and the community to create innovations that positively impact society. (ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Muhammad Fadhil Alfaruqi