Our Next Step Toward AI-Powered Pharmacy Automation
Introduction
Four weeks ago, we shared our vision for the PharmBot Robot—a future-facing concept that reimagines how AI and automation could support pharmacy teams at the front counter. The response was energising: pharmacists, technologists, and digital health leaders resonated with the need to rethink how pharmacies deliver safe, efficient, patient-first service.
Now, we’re taking a major step forward: together with Dr. Aisha Makkar from the University of Derby, we are preparing to apply for EU innovation funding to turn that vision into a real-world, working solution.
From Concept to Action
While our current prototype is non-functional, it serves a vital purpose: to communicate a clear, research-informed vision of what pharmacy automation could look like in physical form.
The goal? A compact, AI-powered pharmacy assistant capable of:
- Guiding patients toward appropriate pharmacy services
- Supporting staff with triage and workflow information
- Enhancing medication adherence and patient education
This next phase will focus on building a fully functional pilot-ready version, designed in close collaboration with frontline pharmacy teams.
Academic + Industry Collaboration
Working with Dr. Aisha Makkar, an AI researcher with expertise in healthcare technologies, we aim to:
- Secure funding through an EU health or innovation call
- Strengthen the clinical, operational, and AI foundations of the project
- Validate the concept through academic research and user feedback
This is a significant milestone in our journey: moving from ideation into structured R&D with a respected academic partner.
Why This Matters Now
Pharmacies are under increasing pressure from workload, staffing shortages, and evolving service demands. The NHS Pharmacy First initiative and growing expectations around digital transformation are pushing the sector toward innovation.
PharmBot AI believes that physical AI-powered support at the pharmacy front desk is part of that future.
What Comes Next
With funding, we plan to:
- Build and test a working robot prototype
- Co-design features with pharmacy staff and patients
- Pilot the system in 2–3 live pharmacy environments
- Develop a sustainable model for scale (leasing, SaaS integration, or hybrid)
We’re Open to Collaboration
This is an open invitation: if you’re a pharmacy, PMR provider, researcher, or digital health innovator who wants to be part of this journey, let’s talk.
You can connect with us at info@pharmbotai.com or follow the project at www.pharmbotai.com.