Ensemble Learning Layer for Wayang Recognition using CNN-based ResNet-50 and LSTM

Wayang is commonly used to tell epic stories of Mahabharata and Ramayana, as well as local legends and myths. There are various types of wayang, such as wayang kulit (made of buffalo or goat leather), wayang golek (made of wood), and wayang klithik (combination of leather and wood). Although it indicates cultural richness, such diversity also makes it difficult for the general public to identify the character of wayang they are seeing because each type has unique characteristics and details. Recognizing wayang characters is a challenging task due to their intricate designs and subtle variations. This research addresses this problem by leveraging machine learning technology, specifically CNN-based classification methods, to accurately identify wayang characters. This study proposed a novel method that integrates ResNet-50 transfer learning with LSTM, enhancing the model's ability to capture both spatial and sequential features of wayang images. The proposed model achieved an impressive accuracy of 97.92%, with precision, recall, and F1-scores all reaching 100%. Despite the extended training time of 188 minutes and 21 seconds, the results demonstrate the model's superior performance. This advancement can significantly aid in the preservation and educational dissemination of Indonesian cultural heritage. Future research can focus on optimizing the training process to reduce the time while maintaining or even improving the accuracy, potentially expanding the model's application scope and effectiveness.