Hail Regional Museum...A Tour Through Time During 'Saudi Winter'

The exterior design of Saudi Arabia's Hail Regional Museum - Asharq Al-Awsat
The exterior design of Saudi Arabia's Hail Regional Museum - Asharq Al-Awsat
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Hail Regional Museum...A Tour Through Time During 'Saudi Winter'

The exterior design of Saudi Arabia's Hail Regional Museum - Asharq Al-Awsat
The exterior design of Saudi Arabia's Hail Regional Museum - Asharq Al-Awsat

Hail Regional Museum has been garnering more attention since it was highlighted among the Saudi Winter’s list of private sector tourist sites.

The museum, whose identity is influenced by the Hail urban and heritage identity, is home to antiquities and its other historical items from the governorate. They are displayed according to their chronological sequence, starting with the prehistoric era, then the epoch of the first civilizations that settled in each region, and finally with the modern era. The historically comprehensive exhibit features various crafts and traditional industries, and it is designed to attract audience of all ages.

Around 1,500 square meters large, the museum has many sections. A section of the museum is dedicated to Hail’s geology, with samples of its rock formations on display, accompanied by explanation of their chronology and the region’s natural diversity.

The museum, with its beautiful art pieces, unique historical objects, ancient scripts and artifacts, is a significant addition to the cultural and art scene in the region that gives visitors the opportunity to stroll through different eras and learn about the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s civilizational heritage.

The museum has several halls, each of which exhibits a diverse “historical narrative.”

The hall dedicated to Hail’s history and geology shows samples of rocks from the region, with a focus on metallurgy sites, mines and the region’s botany and zoology. Visitors can also go to the pre-Islamic era in the hall dedicated to it, which starts from the stone ages and ends with Jahiliya; this hall includes tools and pottery, as well as inscriptions and engravings, from the stone age.

As for the Hail Through History Hall, it exhibits paintings, texts, pictures and scripts. And the region’s heritage, with its traditional industries, is on display in Hail Heritage Hall, as are its folkloric clothing, jewelry, cooking utensils and agricultural tools... as well as other components of local heritage. Education also has its own hall; the Education in Hail Hall tells the story of the first schools to open in the region and an array of old books, films and letters.

The Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage included over 17 sites in its Saudi Winter campaign, which offers over 300 touristic experiences provided by over travel and tour agencies so that visitors can discover the Kingdom’s diverse geography and attractive winter climate.



South Korean Team Develops ‘Iron Man’ Robot that Helps Paraplegics Walk

Kim Seung-hwan, who is himself a paraplegic and part of the Exoskeleton Laboratory team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), demonstrates the prototype of exoskeleton robot 'WalkON Suit F1' at KAIST in Daejeon, South Korea, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Sebin Choi P
Kim Seung-hwan, who is himself a paraplegic and part of the Exoskeleton Laboratory team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), demonstrates the prototype of exoskeleton robot 'WalkON Suit F1' at KAIST in Daejeon, South Korea, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Sebin Choi P
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South Korean Team Develops ‘Iron Man’ Robot that Helps Paraplegics Walk

Kim Seung-hwan, who is himself a paraplegic and part of the Exoskeleton Laboratory team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), demonstrates the prototype of exoskeleton robot 'WalkON Suit F1' at KAIST in Daejeon, South Korea, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Sebin Choi P
Kim Seung-hwan, who is himself a paraplegic and part of the Exoskeleton Laboratory team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), demonstrates the prototype of exoskeleton robot 'WalkON Suit F1' at KAIST in Daejeon, South Korea, November 27, 2024. REUTERS/Sebin Choi P

South Korean researchers have developed a lightweight wearable robot that can walk up to paraplegic users and lock itself onto them, enabling them to walk, manoeuvre obstacles and climb staircases.

The Exoskeleton Laboratory team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) said their goal is to create a robot that seamlessly integrates into the daily lives of individuals with disabilities.

Kim Seung-hwan, who is himself a paraplegic and part of the KAIST team, demonstrated the prototype which helped him walk at a speed of 3.2 kph (2 mph), climb a flight of stairs and take sideways steps to slide into a bench.

"It can approach me wherever I am, even when I’m sitting in a wheelchair, and be worn to help me stand up, which is one of its most distinct features," Reuters quoted Kim.

The powered exoskeleton, named WalkON Suit F1, features aluminium and titanium composition to weigh in at 50 kg (110 lb), and is powered by 12 electronic motors that simulate the movements of human joints while walking.

Park Jeong-su, another member of the KAIST team, said he was inspired by the movie "Iron Man". "After watching Iron Man, I thought it would be great if I can help people with a robot in real life."

To ensure the user's balance while walking, the robot is equipped with sensors on its soles and in the upper body that monitor 1,000 signals per second and anticipate the user's intended movements.

Lenses on the front of the robot work as eyes which analyse its surroundings, identify the height of stairs and detect obstacles to compensate for the lack of sensory ability of users with complete paraplegia, Park said.

Kim Seung-hwan won the gold medal while wearing the WalkON Suit F1 in the exoskeleton category at Cybathlon 2024, opens new tab, which saw developers with varying physical disabilities demonstrate assistive robots in eight categories.

"I wanted to tell my son .... that I also used to able to walk. I wanted to share a diverse range of experiences with him," said Kim.