FLOW Fusion is one of 18 Scottish university projects funded to turn health research into practical applications for patient care
Abertay University has secured £250,000 in funding from the Scottish Government to develop an innovative digital tool designed to transform healthcare planning and decision making.
The project, FLOW Fusion, uses advanced simulation technology to anticipate system pressures and test alternative approaches, enabling frontline clinicians to make evidence-based decisions that improve patient care.
Responding to growing demand for data-powered digital twins in healthcare, the tool combines game engines, data-driven simulation and user experience design into a suite that enables non-technical users to harness the full potential of digital twins for service improvement, operational planning and staff coordination.
Stuart Anderson, a lecturer in Abertay’s Department of Games Technology and Mathematics, led the bid for funding and will oversee the project. He said:
Flow Fusion takes the principles of game design and applies them to one of the most pressing challenges in healthcare - how to plan and adapt under pressure. By using interactive, game-based simulations, we can give clinicians a safe, engaging way to explore ‘what if’ scenarios and understand the impact of their decisions on the wider system. This is about making complex data accessible and actionable through the power of games.
The project builds on the success of Design HOPES, a £7.75m Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)-funded, design-led initiative involving five Scottish universities: the University of Strathclyde, the University of Dundee, Abertay University, Heriot-Watt University, and the University of Edinburgh.
As part of Design HOPES, the team created FLOW, a ‘serious game’ that demonstrates how individual patient decisions can impact the wider healthcare system. Using anonymised NHS Tayside data, FLOW recreated and visualised patient journeys through an A&E department, with scenarios validated by clinical and support staff.
The game is currently showcased in the V&A Dundee Design HOPES exhibition ‘From HOPE to HEALTH’, highlighting its role in increasing awareness of the carbon impacts of visiting hospital, with the goal of changing behaviours.
Professor Mel Woods, co-director of Design HOPES, said:
This funding for FLOW Fusion is an exciting opportunity to translate the insights from the FLOW game in to real-world impact. It is also a strong endorsement of the work we have been doing in direct collaboration with our colleagues at NHS Tayside to create a ‘digital twin’ of the healthcare system, which can be used for training and planning.
The funding comes from the Scottish Government’s Proof of Concept Fund, with Flow Fusion among 18 projects from 10 universities selected for support in the 2025–2026 financial year.
In total, £2.945 million has been allocated to help bridge the gap between research and real-world impact, supporting early to mid-stage commercialisation activities. These projects will run from September 2025 to March 2026.