Liverpool, 13 September 2025 — The TARGET project took part in the British Science Festival in Liverpool with an interactive and educational activity: the TARGET Escape Room. 

The escape room invited participants to step into the role of a multidisciplinary team of clinicians and AI researchers working to save a patient at risk of stroke. Their task was to restore a sabotaged digital twin — a virtual model created from real health data and enhanced by artificial intelligence — and use it to guide personalised care decisions. 

Objectives of the AI and Digital Twin Escape Room 

The TARGET Escape Room was developed as part of the project’s science engagement and outreach activities. Among its main objectives, is raising awareness about the potential and benefits of using artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twin technology in healthcare. 

It also aims to increase visibility and public understanding of the EU-funded TARGET project and its research goals, as well as to create a fun and engaging activity that connects scientific research with the public through hands-on learning and collaboration. 

Developed as a portable, pop-up experience, the TARGET Escape Room combines science, storytelling, and teamwork to make complex topics in AI and digital health engaging and accessible. Participants faced four interconnected puzzles, each inspired by real-world healthcare challenges. They decrypted encrypted data to understand patient privacy, reconstructed a damaged neural network, mapped out causal relationships between stroke risk factors, and tested treatment strategies through digital simulations. 

Each puzzle contributed to the completion of a Patient Care Form, reflecting the reconstructed state of the patient’s digital twin. By the end, players discovered whether their collective decisions had successfully reduced the patient’s stroke risk, turning scientific concepts into a dynamic, hands-on learning experience. 

The activity proved highly successful, attracting over 100 visitors throughout the day. Families, students, and professionals engaged enthusiastically with the puzzles, finding the experience both entertaining and educational. 

“We welcomed an exceptionally high visitor engagement throughout the event. The venue was very busy, with attendees demonstrating genuine enthusiasm to participate in our experience”, said one TARGET’s team member.   

The British Science Festival offered an excellent opportunity for the TARGET consortium to raise awareness about AI, digital twins, and personalised medicine, and to showcase how these technologies are reshaping healthcare innovation. Visitors showed strong curiosity about data privacy, machine learning, and AI-driven decision-making, sparking thoughtful discussions about the future of medicine. 

By transforming cutting-edge research into a collaborative game, the TARGET team successfully demonstrated how interactive, story-driven activities can inspire curiosity, foster understanding, and make scientific research approachable for all audiences. 

Watch the full video on our YouTube channel for an overview of the event. 

TARGET Escape Room: AI in Healthcare at the British Science Festival (Liverpool, September 2025)