Can beauty be decoded through brainwaves? A recent experiment at Tsinghua University studying the neuroscience behind aesthetics suggests that that day may soon be here.

The study, conducted by the university’s School of Biomedical Engineering and led by the Neural Engineering Lab, aims to capture real-time neural responses during immersive artistic experiences. The results may help to map how our brains process aesthetics, emotion, and cultural resonance.

In early June, photos relating to the study went viral on the lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, garnering over 16,000 likes and more than 2,000 comments. In them, a group of theatergoers wearing unusual headgear is pictured prior to a live dance performance at Tsinghua. The post asked: “What kind of mysterious high-tech organization is this?” sparking widespread curiosity among users and speculation as to what the devices were for.

The audience members were, in fact, student volunteers participating in the neuroscience experiment, the university clarified on Thursday. Outfitted with non-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) devices to record brain activity, they were about to watch “Wing Chun,” a live martial arts performance.

According to the university, it marked the first time that a neuroaesthetic study — an emerging interdisciplinary field integrating the arts and humanities with the natural sciences — had been conducted in a live theater setting in China.

“We hope this interdisciplinary exploration pushes forward new applications of neuroscience in understanding human aesthetic experience, and opens new pathways for art cognition research,” said Professor Gao Xiaorong, director of the Neural Engineering Lab, in an interview with domestic media.

The BCI devices include wearable sensors that utilize high-density electroencephalography, measuring and recording the electrical activity of the brain, allowing the team to collect neural data from multiple participants simultaneously in real time.

The lab has already run similar tests with Chinese live dance performances including “A Tapestry of a Legendary Land” and “The Eternal Wave.”

Brain activity during live performances was found to be significantly more dynamic than during video-based viewing.

“When the lights dim, the curtain rises, and the music starts, the audience enters another world,” Li Zexuan, a Ph.D. student in the lab, told domestic media. “The brain shows a broader and more intense response in such settings, closely tied to emotional engagement and immersion.”

The study builds on two decades of research into neuroaesthetics at the Neural Engineering Lab. Founded in 2004, it aims to integrate art, psychology, and biology to explore the neural mechanisms underlying aesthetic experiences.

In recent years, BCI technology has experienced significant growth in China, with the authorities issuing several supportive policies to encourage its development. In March, an amputee implanted with a BCI in his brain was reportedly able to play video games after a few weeks of training.

The Neural Engineering Lab is also collaborating with hospitals on projects such as BCI-assisted diagnosis of depression, according to Tsinghua.

Looking ahead, Gao and his team plan to integrate other art forms such as music, dance, and lighting design to further explore core aesthetic concepts, he told domestic media. Their goal is to eventually apply these findings to practical systems that could support artistic creation, emotional regulation, and rehabilitation therapies.

Editor: Tom Arnstein.

(Header image: Student volunteers are outfitted with non-invasive brain-computer interface devices to record brain activity at Tsinghua University, 2025. From @清华大学 on Weibo)