Introducing MediNova
MediNova Health Kiosk AI Healthcare Assistant. (prototype). It’s simple, voice-first, Urdu-ready
Fatima Tariq
Saadia Sohail
Esha Eman
Samia Farheen
Problem: Healthcare Access in Rural Areas
Need: simple, local guidance available any time
70% of Pakistanis live rurally, yet 85% of doctors serve urban areas. Urban-rural doctor distribution in Pakistan.
Source: Abbas & Talib, PJLSS 2024, pp. 1171–1182. https://doi.org/10.57239/PJLSS-2024-22.2.0081
MediNova: The Solution
Voice + Text
Natural Urdu conversation
Smart Triage
Follow-up questions, urgency check
Actionable Guidance
Suggests next steps or consultation
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Pakistan's doctor-patient ratio (1:1,300) vs WHO's recommended minimum (1:1,000) for developing nations.
Source: Dawn, June 28, 2024. https://www.dawn.com/news/1842473
Objectives
Urdu-first
Primary language for users
Voice interaction
Hands-free, accessible
Improve access
Faster guidance, local reach
Symptom support
Help users understand signs
Encourage care
Promote timely medical visits
Friendly UX
Simple kiosk experience
Rural Sindh has just 3 physicians per 10,000 people, less than half the national average of 7. Physician density: national vs. rural Sindh (per 10,000 people).
Source: Abbas & Talib, PJLSS 2024, citing Zaidi & Sahibzada (1986). https://doi.org/10.57239/PJLSS-2024-22.2.0081
System Workflow
Follow-up Questions
Symptom Analysis
Speech-to-Text
Describe Symptoms
Start
Streamlined, conversational triage that ends with clear next steps.
Technology Stack
Frontend
Python Tkinter, Custom GUI, Pygame audio
Backend
Python services, rule-based assessment, dotenv
AI & Voice
SpeechRecognition, Groq API, gTTS, Pydub, FFmpeg
Medical Intelligence
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Condition Matching
Symptom-based rule repository
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Follow-up Logic
Adaptive questioning for clarity
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Urgency Assessment
Flag high-risk signs immediately
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Referral Guidance
Recommend specialists
MediNova provides guidance
only, not a medical diagnosis.
System Features
Voice Interaction
Urdu speech recognition
Smart Assessment
Symptom analysis & reasoning
Accessible
UX
Simple interface for low-literacy users
Healthcare Guidance
Risk awareness + consultation prompts
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Prototype & Hardware Roadmap
Current Prototype
Working software demo for validation
Future Hardware
Raspberry Pi, touchscreen, integrated sensors
Impact, Scalability & Next Steps
Impact
Faster guidance • fewer unnecessary visits • Urdu reach
Scale
Low-cost deployment for villages, clinics, centres
Next Steps
Pilot tests, local partnerships, add Punjabi/Pashto/Sindhi
Goal: practical, trustworthy triage that connects people to care.