WayangVision: How Artificial Intelligence Helps the Younger Generation Discover Balinese Shadow Puppetry
Amid the rapid wave of digitalization and the dominance of modern entertainment, many traditional cultural heritages are gradually losing their place among younger generations. One of them is Balinese shadow puppetry, a noble art form that embodies not only entertainment, but also profound philosophical, spiritual, moral, and cultural historical values. In response to this challenge, an AI-based innovation called WayangVision was developed to help people recognize and understand Balinese shadow puppet characters in a more modern and interactive way.
Wayang, or traditional shadow puppetry, is one of Indonesia’s most valuable cultural heritages, rich in philosophical, moral, and artistic values. Its cultural significance has even been internationally recognized by UNESCO through its designation as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on November 7, 2003. However, despite this global recognition, public interest in wayang performances has continued to decline, particularly among younger generations.
The rapid growth of digital entertainment media, highly visual, and interactive has gradually made traditional performances appear difficult to understand and less relevant to today’s entertainment preferences. The visual complexity of Balinese shadow puppet characters, combined with the limited availability of interactive educational media, has become one of the main barriers preventing audiences from understanding the stories and characters within traditional puppet performances.
In response to these challenges, WayangVision was developed as an AI-powered Android application designed to help people recognize Balinese shadow puppet characters in a more modern, interactive, and accessible way. WayangVision acts as a “digital eye” capable of identifying puppet characters while simultaneously serving as a technology-based cultural education platform.
WayangVision App Splash Screen
WayangVision is a Balinese shadow puppet character detection application specifically focused on Wayang Lemah, a sacred form of puppet performance that plays an important role in Balinese Yadnya rituals. Unlike Wayang Peteng, which uses screens and lighting effects, Wayang Lemah is traditionally performed during the daytime and carries a strong ritualistic atmosphere. As a result, this form of performance has become increasingly inaccessible and unfamiliar to the broader public, especially younger audiences.
Through WayangVision, users can recognize puppet characters simply by using their smartphone cameras. The application is capable of detecting up to 16 Balinese shadow puppet characters and provides comprehensive information about each detected figure, including the character’s name, philosophy, and distinctive visual traits. More than just an ordinary object detection application.
Homepage View and Detection Results
WayangVision integrates Artificial Intelligence technologies through computer vision and Large Language Model (LLM) approaches. One of its main advantages is the integration of GPT-4o-mini, which enhances the educational experience by providing richer and more natural explanations about each character. This technology allows the application to deliver character descriptions in a more informative, conversational, and user-friendly manner. Instead of merely reading static information, users can also ask questions about puppet characters and receive interactive responses, creating an experience similar to conversing with a digital cultural assistant.
As an AI-based cultural education platform, WayangVision offers several interactive features designed to help users recognize Balinese shadow puppet characters while understanding the cultural values embedded within them.
- Home Page: The Home Page serves as the main navigation center for accessing WayangVision’s features. On this page, users are provided with two primary options: the “Buka Kamera” feature for real-time detection using the smartphone camera, and the “Pilih dari Galeri” feature for detecting puppet characters through uploaded images. Its simple and intuitive interface allows users to operate the application easily without going through complicated processes.
- Halaman Hasil Deteksi (Result Page): After the detection process is completed, users are directed to the Result Page. This page displays the processed image along with bounding boxes, character names, and confidence scores generated by the AI model. Beyond visual identification, the page also includes an interactive information panel containing detailed explanations about the detected character. The information includes the character’s personality traits, philosophy, role within puppet stories, and distinctive visual characteristics. WayangVision also provides an “Jelaskan dengan AI” feature that enables users to receive deeper and more comprehensive elaborations regarding the detected character through AI-generated explanations.
- Halaman Ensiklopedia: In addition to automatic detection, WayangVision also features a digital encyclopedia page that functions as an exploration center for Balinese shadow puppet character information. This page contains a complete collection of all puppet characters recognized by the system. Users can search for specific characters through the search bar or category filters, making the information retrieval process faster and more convenient. Each character profile is accompanied by explanations regarding puppet stories, character traits, philosophy, and distinctive visual appearances. Furthermore, the encyclopedia page is equipped with an “Tanya AI” feature, allowing users to directly ask questions related to puppet characters. With the integration of Generative AI, users can explore puppet stories and characters in a more in-depth, interactive, and communicative way.
Encyclopedia Page Display
WayangVision demonstrates how Artificial Intelligence can be utilized not only for industrial and commercial purposes, but also as a powerful medium for preserving local culture. As younger generations become increasingly connected to digital technology, cultural education approaches must also evolve in order to remain relevant and engaging.
By combining computer vision, Generative AI, and the richness of Balinese culture, WayangVision opens new opportunities for introducing Balinese shadow puppetry to wider audiences through a more modern approach without losing its traditional values. Balinese Shadow Puppetry is not merely a performance from the past. Through WayangVision, Balinese cultural heritage can now be recognized, learned, and appreciated through the technology of today.
Source: “Balinese Shadow Puppetry Detection using YOLOv11 and Pruning Technique”, Komang Ayu Agung Arya Aprilia, Information Technology Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Udayana University, Final Project, 2026
