Paul W. Mathews

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Paul W. Mathews is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of music and robotics, whose work focuses on the design, construction, and expressive performance of robotic musical instruments—particularly chordophones like guitars and basses. His major contributions include the development of two novel robotic instruments, Swivel and MechBass, which extend the expressivity of robotic guitars through innovative mechanical design and control techniques. Mathews also introduced a self-tuning procedure for continuous-pitch robots, enabling long-term autonomous operation and on-the-fly tuning adjustments—a critical advancement for multi-stringed robotic ensembles. Additionally, he created Tangle, a flexible software framework for networked performance with advanced robotic instruments, facilitating real-time collaboration and artistic exploration. Though his citation counts (13, 7, and 7 for his top papers) reflect a specialized niche, his work has laid foundational groundwork in musical robotics, blending engineering, computer science, and artistic practice. Mathews’ achievements demonstrate a rare ability to bridge technical rigor with creative expression, making him a notable figure in the emerging field of robotic musicianship.