A pharmacy in Eindhoven will start using a new digital hologram assistant from July 2024, in a move that should help clients get better information about their medications. The hologram, which will be found in Stroomz Strijp Pharmacy, will be able to speak five languages.
Hologram will be able to help expats in five languages
Initially, the hologram will be able to speak Dutch, English, Spanish, Turkish and Arabic, eventually using Google Translate to subtitle conversations in any language. “We looked at what many conversations are about. We have worked out the most common conversations and they are now conducted with you by the digital assistant from a box," Pim Poels, manager of the Stroomz pharmacy told Omroep Brabant.
“When people are sick, they are at their most vulnerable. Then you don't have the strength to express yourself in another language. If you can help people in their own language, that is an added value. It is better than adding a language that you both only half speak,” Poels continues.
The pharmacy will remain unmanned other than the digital assistant
The pharmacy will not have staff other than the hologram assistant, which can help serve the people of Eindhoven in a range of different languages. The city has seen a huge growth in the local population in recent years due to the presence of tech giant ASML in the region, and workers from 189 different nationalities now live in the area.
“That growth is an enormous challenge for us as a region. How are we going to continue to help all the people? We have to come up with something because there are no more staff. I can't get enough staff to keep that location staffed. This way they are still there if you have a question,” Poels added.