Article
MediBot
MediBot: Our Smart Line-Following Robot for Modernizing Hospital Healthcare
Background:
The busy hospital corridors, the relentless rushing of nurses, and the challenge of delivering the right medication to the right patient at the right time—this scene is familiar to us all. Especially since COVID-19, we have realized how crucial it is to minimize human contact in cases of infectious diseases or within isolation wards. To address this problem with a smart and automated solution, we, a group of students from Daffodil International University, have developed "MediBot". My friends and I built this line-following robot as part of our "Embedded Systems and IoT" project for the Spring 2025 semester.
Our project has been accepted at the 2025 International Conference on Quantum Photonics, Artificial Intelligence, and Networking (QPAIN), and we are thrilled to share the key aspects of our research with everyone today.
The Problem:
Research shows that medication errors—whether incorrect administration or failure to receive medication on time—are a major cause of deteriorating patient health. This risk is significantly higher for elderly patients or those suffering from dementia. Furthermore, due to the excessive workload on nurses and hospital staff, delays or errors in manual medication distribution are unfortunately common.
Our Solution: MediBot
MediBot is a smart line-following robot capable of delivering medication to specific hospital wards or beds completely autonomously. It is not just a robot; rather, it is an IoT-based ecosystem that stays connected with nurses or caregivers in real-time.
How Does It Work? (Technical Aspects)
Our system is primarily composed of three main parts: 1. Navigation System: The robot uses Infrared (IR) sensors and a line-following algorithm for movement. By following a designated path (black line) on the hospital floor, it reaches specific patient beds. 2. Medicine Dispensing Mechanism: There is a hexagonal rotating container on top of the robot. Driven by a servo motor, it rotates to dispense medication from the correct compartment. 3. Communication & Alert System: This is our robot's smartest feature. Upon delivering the medication, it immediately sends a signal to the cloud server via an ESP8266 Wi-Fi module.
Hardware Used:
• Microcontroller: Arduino Uno (acts as the brain).
• Connectivity: ESP8266 (Wi-Fi module).
• Sensors: IR Sensors (for path detection).
• Motor Driver: L298N and Gear Motors.
• Power: 12V Li-ion Battery.
Software Stack: We used React.js for the frontend and Node.js for the backend. MongoDB is used as the database. Upon successful medication delivery, notifications are instantly sent to the nurse's or doctor's mobile phone and web dashboard via OneSignal or Firebase.
Why is MediBot Unique?
There are many smart pillboxes on the market that only provide reminders but do not physically deliver the medicine to the patient. Conversely, there are many line-following robots that merely carry items. MediBot combines these two functions:
• Fully Automated Delivery: Nurses do not need to walk around carrying medicine.
• Real-Time Tracking: Whether the medicine arrived on time can be monitored directly in the app.
• Safe: There is no need for human contact with infectious patients.
• Accuracy: In our testing phase, it demonstrated an accuracy rate of over 95%.
Future Work
Currently, this is functioning as a prototype. In the future, we plan to add several more features:
• Obstacle Avoidance: Using ultrasonic sensors to navigate through crowds without collisions.
• Elevator Integration: The ability to move from one floor to another.
• Biometric Security: Ensuring that no one other than the specific patient can access the medication.
• Temperature Control: A cooling system for sensitive medications like insulin or vaccines.
Research Team
The tireless hard work of our team is involved in making this project a success:
• Jubair Amin Siyum
• Ishmak Rahat Rafi
• Md. Hasan Jarif Bin Monohor
• Shakib
• Md. Sadat Alam Protik
• Supervisor: Md. Taslim Arif (Senior Lecturer, DIU)
Our goal is to make healthcare easier and safer through the touch of technology.
Paper Reference: 2025 International Conference on Quantum Photonics, Artificial Intelligence, and Networking (QPAIN), Rangpur, Bangladesh.
View more here: https://medibot-medicine-update-info.netlify.app