DripRog

DripRog is a minimal, accessible, open source unattended field recorder. It records in 192 kHz / 24-bit stereo and can capture ultrasonic content in high quality. It delivers plug-in power and is meant to be used with electret capsules. It is designed to be dropped somewhere and picked up a day or two later, with ultra reliable operation over long unattended recording sessions. It can be built using off-the-shelf parts for a very moderate cost and requires minimal soldering.

Accessibility is core to DripRog, not an afterthought. The device is designed to be usable without relying on any single sense. Everything is controlled with a single button and a gain selector: no screen, no menu, no app. The status indicator can be visual, audible, or tactile. All three are equal options, so you can choose what works best: sight, sound, touch. The system uses consistent, learnable patterns. States are communicated through a small set of distinct rhythms, so the meaning stays the same whether it is seen, heard, or felt.

The DripRog OS is super lightweight. It boots to recording in about 5 seconds and runs for around 22 hours on a 10A power bank. DripRog OS is provided as a ready-to-download disk image that you can flash directly to a Raspberry Pi. Alternatively, all relevant files are also provided as open source. DripRog is the hardware counterpart to Field Spectrum, a spectral viewer and timeline for Ableton Live. Together, they form a connected accessible field recording ecosystem.

DripRog is the hardware counterpart of Field Spectrum

Build Instructions and Source Files on GitHub