Controlling Form Through Intent: A BCI ‐ VR System for Enhancing Cultural Presence in Chinese Shadow Puppetry

This study introduces a novel brain–computer interface (BCI) and virtual reality (VR) framework designed for immersive interaction with Chinese shadow puppetry. The system enables subjects to control two‐dimensional movement and limb actions of virtual puppets through electroencephalogram (EEG)‐based motor imagery and electrooculogram (EOG)‐based blink detection. An EEG‐based Localmotion (EBLM) algorithm is employed to achieve stable multi‐directional movement decoding, integrating blink‐triggered limb actions for precise puppet manipulation. Simplified multi‐body dynamics within the VR environment replicate realistic puppet motion and situational interactivity. Experimental evaluations involving 20 participants demonstrated high decoding accuracy (82.7%), low false‐trigger rates, and rapid adaptation. Compared with traditional VR controllers, BCI‐driven interaction demonstrated lower task efficiency but showed improvements in immersion, cultural presence, and the sense of “control as performance”. This system suggests a potential digital pathway for intangible cultural heritage preservation, facilitating active participation, skill transmission, and profound cultural engagement.