An Autonomous Puppeteering System

Project Idea

This project is an electronic puppeteering system inspired by Neferpitou’s Nen-based manipulation from Hunter x Hunter. It explores themes of control, autonomy, and possession through a controller entity that governs the movement of a skeletal puppet.

Inspiration image for the puppeteering system
Img shows Neferpitou's Nen Puppets- Terpsichora and Puppeteering respectively. Img source: Pinterest

The system operates autonomously through pre-programmed motion sequences. I'm thinking movements like slow head tilt - pause - sudden jerk, arm lifts as if resisting then drops. Repetitive, clinical movements. Each sequence is loopable, time-based and/or triggered by presence or touch.

From here 2 things can be explored:

  1. The puppeteer is programmed to control the puppet.
  2. The puppet moves as if possessed, while the puppeteers digits/hand move out of sync which sell the whole eerie part and acts as a visual representation of invisible electronic control.