UTM Launches AI Medical Avatar Kiosk at Its Johor Bahru Campus Health Centre

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) has launched an AI Medical Avatar at the University Health Centre, known as PKU, on its Johor Bahru campus. UTM's news portal reports that Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ts. Dr. Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim officiated the launch on 15 October. The avatar is a digital character on a kiosk screen that talks with visitors in both directions, by speech or by typed text.[1]

The project goes further than a chatbot on a webpage. UTM says the avatar connects to the university's queue management system, so a patient who finishes the conversation and a short screening receives a queue number automatically, with less manual handling at the counter. The university has not said how many people have used it.[1][2]

According to UTM, the avatar answers questions about PKU services and gives first-step guidance. Users choose between a microphone and a keyboard. The feature article says the system uses natural language processing, so students can ask in their own words instead of working through fixed menu options, and it replies by voice.[2]

UTM presents this as a way to move routine questions away from the front desk. Staff can then spend more time on matters that need professional judgement and direct contact with patients. That is the university's stated intent. The announcement does not measure how many enquiries the avatar handles or how staff time has changed.[1][2]

The Medical Triage module is the part that touches patient flow. Before seeing a doctor, a patient completes a preliminary screening on the kiosk. The information collected helps organise who is seen next. UTM says this matters most during medical check-ups for new students, when PKU receives a high volume of visitors in a short period.[1][2]

UTM draws a clear line around the module. It describes triage as a screening and service-support step, and says it does not replace clinical assessment, diagnosis or a doctor's decision. After screening, the system generates a queue number through the university's queue management system and digital infrastructure.[2]

UTM says its own researchers built the avatar. The feature article credits the Virtual, Vision and Visualisation Research Lab (UTMViCubeLab) at the Faculty of Computing, supervised by Dr. Fazliaty Edora Fadzli. The project is an initiative of the Vice-Chancellor's Office with PKU and UTM Digital Experience (UTM DX), and the launch coverage links it to the university's UTM ASCEND 2030 plan.[1][2]

UTM adds that the work could extend to other service counters across the university, and could transfer to higher education, public services and healthcare. That is a stated possibility. The sources describe no timetable, budget or second site, so expansion is an ambition and not a schedule.[1]