# Event Details - **Event Name**: LIDA Immersive Technologies Virtual Brain Bus Hackathon 2026 - **Event Start and End Date**: Fri, 27 Mar, 2026 at 09:30 am – Fri, 27 Mar, 2026 at 04:30 pm - **Event Description**: Interdisciplinary hackathon to design and advance a prototype for the “Brain Bus” - a mobile, interactive neuroscience outreach platform.About this EventLIDA Immersive Technologies Community invites you to join us for a one-day interdisciplinary hackathon to design and advance a prototype for the “Brain Bus” - a mobile, interactive neuroscience outreach platform. Building on an existing virtual model, this event aims to bring together developers, researchers, UX specialists, and evaluation experts to refine the prototype and create a clear roadmap towards a deployable vehicle.Places are limited and selection is based on ensuring a balanced mix of skills.Prize money totalling over £2000 will be awarded for outstanding contributions.? What is the Brain Bus?The Brain Bus will be a mobile, immersive brain health platform designed to bring interactive neuroscience directly into communities whilst collecting high-quality brain health and wellbeing data.So far, a virtual model has been developed using Unity. The purpose of this hackathon is to:• Strengthen and improve the current prototype• Define a clear evaluation framework to test the experience with real users• Identify practical, ethical, and strategic considerations for real-life deployment• Produce a clear roadmap for developing the Brain Bus from prototype to scalable productBy the end of the hackathon, we aim to have a structured development plan covering technical improvements, evaluation design, deployment considerations, and next-stage funding opportunities.?How will the hackathon work?Participants will work in small, mixed-expertise groups across three interconnected working groups:1. Unity & Technical DevelopmentImproving the virtual model, refining interactivity, enhancing usability, and strengthening overall design architecture.2. User Evaluation & ImpactDefining target audiences, designing evaluation protocols, selecting behavioural and experiential measures, and planning data capture and ethics.3. Product Roadmap & DeploymentAddressing scalability, sustainability, governance, partnerships, community delivery models, and pathways to full implementation.The day will combine short framing inputs, two focused sprint sessions, cross-group critique, and a final synthesis session to consolidate and condense outputs into a practical roadmap.?Who should apply?We are looking for a mixed cohort of up to 20 participants, including:• Unity and immersive technology developers• Neuroscience, psychology, data science, or brain health researchers• UX and user research specialists• Evaluation and impact researchers• Public engagement and community research colleagues• Individuals with experience translating prototypes into deployed productsYou do not need to attend with a pre-formed team. Groups will be structured on the day to ensure complementary skills.?Application & Selection ProcessThis is a selection-based event.To ensure the right balance of technical, evaluation, and strategic expertise, participants will be selected based on:• Relevant skills and experience• Indicated area of interest• Contribution to overall group balanceWhen registering, you will be asked to provide:• Your role and affiliation• Relevant skills and tools (e.g. Unity, UX methods, evaluation design, data analysis)• Which strand you would prefer to contribute to• Any dietary or accessibility requirementsSelected participants will receive confirmation by email with preparatory materials and access to the current virtual model before the event.?PrizesWe have over £2000 in total prize money to recognise contributions made during the day.Prizes will include:• Team awards for exceptional outputs• Individual awards for outstanding contribution, creativity, collaboration, or problem-solvingAwards will be announced at the end of the day.⏰ Provisional Schedule09:30 - Arrival and coffee10:00 - Welcome and Brain Bus prototype demonstration10:45 - Challenge framing and group formation11:15 - Sprint session 112:30 - Lunch13:15 - Sprint session 214:45 - Cross-group sharing and critique15:30 - Roadmap synthesis16:15 - Awards and closing16:30 - End of hackathon?Practical Information• Please note that this is an in-person event only. No hybrid working is possible.• Catering will be provided throughout the day.• Please bring your own laptop!• Venue details will be confirmed to selected participants ahead of the event. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/bradford/lida-immersive-technologies-virtual-brain-bus-hackathon-2026/100001984864402860 - **Event Categories**: Contests, health-wellness - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: GBP ## Event venue details - **city**: Bradford - **state**: EN - **country**: United Kingdom - **location**: Seminar Room 2, Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research - **lat**: 53.8053535 - **long**: -1.7945773 - **full address**: Seminar Room 2, Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research, Duckworth Lane, Bradford, United Kingdom ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: LIDA Immersive Technologies Virtual Brain Bus Hackathon 2026 - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/42cc1819891b86ce80a972e082ce96d74b1ad5c8f58dadaf7a11e53d9e5f7625-rimg-w1188-h781-dca17140-gmir.jpg?v=1773135560 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is LIDA Immersive Technologies Virtual Brain Bus Hackathon 2026 being held? - **A:** LIDA Immersive Technologies Virtual Brain Bus Hackathon 2026 takes place on Fri, 27 Mar, 2026 at 09:30 am to Fri, 27 Mar, 2026 at 04:30 pm at Seminar Room 2, Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research, Duckworth Lane, Bradford, United Kingdom. - **Q**: Who is organizing LIDA Immersive Technologies Virtual Brain Bus Hackathon 2026? - **A:** LIDA Immersive Technologies Virtual Brain Bus Hackathon 2026 is organized by Leeds Institute for Data Analytics. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "LIDA Immersive Technologies Virtual Brain Bus Hackathon 2026", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events8/banners/42cc1819891b86ce80a972e082ce96d74b1ad5c8f58dadaf7a11e53d9e5f7625-rimg-w1188-h781-dca17140-gmir.jpg?v=1773135560", "startDate": "2026-03-27", "endDate": "2026-03-27", "url": "https://allevents.in/bradford/lida-immersive-technologies-virtual-brain-bus-hackathon-2026/100001984864402860", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Seminar Room 2, Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "Duckworth Lane", "postalCode": "BD9 6RJ", "addressLocality": "Bradford", "addressRegion": "EN", "addressCountry": "GB" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "53.8053535", "longitude": "-1.7945773" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Interdisciplinary hackathon to design and advance a prototype for the “Brain Bus” - a mobile, interactive neuroscience outreach platform.", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "GBP", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-14", "availabilityEnds": "2026-03-27", "validFrom": "2026-04-14", "lowPrice": "0.00", "highPrice": "0.00", "price": "0.00", "url": "https://allevents.in/bradford/lida-immersive-technologies-virtual-brain-bus-hackathon-2026/100001984864402860" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "GBP", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-14", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-04-14", "url": "https://allevents.in/bradford/lida-immersive-technologies-virtual-brain-bus-hackathon-2026/100001984864402860", "price": 0, "name": "Participation request" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Leeds Institute for Data Analytics", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/leeds-institute-for-data-analytics/18974082", "description": " Any enquiries please contact Kimberley Wright \r\n\r\n \r\n " } ] } ] ```