Assistive mobility for pilgrims — Makkah and Madinah

Towards an
Easier Journey

نحو رحلة أيسر

Yusra is a 1.8 kg hip exoskeleton that supports the walking a pilgrim is already doing. It carries part of the effort of tawaf, sa‘i and the days between the holy sites, so an older pilgrim can complete the rites on foot.

The Yusra hip exoskeleton: a waist belt with a round actuator over each hip, curved struts running down each side to adjustable thigh cuffs.

The rite is measured in steps

Hajj asks for continuous movement — from tawaf and sa‘i to the daily transit between the holy sites. As the distances add up and the movement repeats, physical endurance stops being incidental and becomes part of the experience itself.

الحج رحلة تتطلب حركة مستمرة، ومع امتداد المسافات وتكرار الحركة يصبح التحمل الجسدي جزءاً أساسياً من التجربة.

25km

The distance an average pilgrim covers on foot across the days of Hajj.

الطواف

Tawaf
Seven circuits of the Kaaba, repeated across the rites.

السعي

Sa‘i
Seven lengths between Safa and Marwah.

الوقوف بعرفة

Standing at Arafah
Hours upright, in heat, with little shade or seating.

التنقل

Moving between sites
Mina, Muzdalifah, Arafah and the Jamarat, over several days.

How Yusra helps

Able to walk. Not able to keep going.

القدرة على الحركة لا تعني القدرة على الاستمرار.

Yusra doesn't move for him.

يُسرى لا تقوم بالحركة عنه،

It lets his movement continue.

بل تمكّنه من الاستمرار.

The device reads the step. The pilgrim decides it.

Sensors follow the wearer's own gait and time the assistance to it. There is no programme to follow and nothing to operate while walking — the wearer moves as they intend to, and the device meets them.

The personالإنسان
+
Mechanical assistanceالمساعدة الميكانيكية
=
Movement that continuesاستمرار الحركة
1.8 kg

Total worn weight, carried on the pelvis rather than the shoulders.

Both hips

Assistance at hip flexion on each side, timed to the wearer's own step.

Under ihram

Worn beneath the izar, out of sight, and put on or taken off without tools.

A day of rites

Battery sized for a full day of movement, with a swap available from our team.

Assistive device

Yusra is a mobility aid. It is not a medical device and makes no clinical claims.

Arabic & English

Fitting, guidance and support delivered in both languages on site.

A device is only half of it

Yusra is a service. Trained staff fit the device before the rites begin, and a technician is on hand at our station for questions or help along the way.

01

Fitting on arrival

A trained fitter sizes and sets the device at the hotel in Makkah or Madinah, and shows the pilgrim how to put it on without help. Groups are fitted together, before the rites begin.

02

Through the rites

The pilgrim keeps the device for the duration. A technician is at our station for questions, an adjustment, a battery swap, or a replacement unit if anything fails.

03

Handover at the end

The device is returned at the close of the journey. We inspect, service and refit it for the next pilgrim, so nothing is bought and nothing is carried home.

Built by orthotists

Yusra is the pilgrim mobility service of Aretene, a UK company building assistive movement technology. Both founders are certified orthotists who have spent their careers fitting devices to the people who wear them.

The service operates in Saudi Arabia with Aretene as the parent company in the United Kingdom. Devices are fitted by certified orthotists, and every unit is inspected between pilgrims.

Mahmoud Kablan

Founder — United Kingdom

HCPC-registered orthotist. Leads device development and the fitting protocol behind the service.

Ayham Alhourani

Co-founder — Saudi Arabia

Certified orthotist. Leads operations in Makkah and Madinah and the relationship with Hajj and Umrah operators.

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