DripRog

The DripRog field recorder: a small open enclosure on a wooden surface, with a single button, a gain selector and a status indicator.

About 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 can be built using off-the-shelf parts for a very moderate cost and requires minimal soldering. It is designed to be dropped somewhere and picked up a day or two later, with ultra reliable operation over long unattended recording sessions.

Sight, sound, or touch

Accessibility is core to DripRog, not an afterthought. 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, and all three are equal options. States are communicated through a small set of distinct rhythms, so the meaning stays the same whether it is seen, heard, or felt.

A lightweight OS

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. It is provided as a ready-to-download disk image you can flash directly to a Raspberry Pi, and all relevant files are also provided as open source.

Paired with Field Spectrum

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.

Build Instructions and Source Files on GitHub

Videos

License & Source

DripRog's own code is MIT licensed, © 2026 Iftah Gabbai.

This OS image also includes open-source components (Linux kernel and others) under their respective licenses, and Raspberry Pi firmware under the Broadcom license. See the bundled license files for the full list and texts.

Complete corresponding source for the GPL-licensed components is available:

  • Buildroot 2024.02.9 — buildroot-2024.02.9.tar.gz
  • Linux kernel — raspberrypi/linux commit bba53a117a4a5c29da892962332ff1605990e17a

DripRog OS

Terms

By downloading this software, you agree to my Terms & Conditions.