DeadCatDot Increases Audio Fidelity with 3D Printing Technology

The aural-terror of wind-shredded audio is a scourge that must be stopped ‒ and only you can prevent “Wind Fail.” But who ever said that the means to do so would be pretty? Mark Shorey’s DeadCatDot comes right out and tells you that “it’s ugly, and it works.” Looking a bit like a 90’s-era soul-patch or Don King’s famous shock of hair (depending on which way you hold it), the DeadCatDot’s namesake comes from film production parlance: a “dead cat” refers to synthetic fur used to shield boom mics from the wind. Charmingly diminished self-image aside (I, for one, think they’re cute), the DeadCatDot drastically reduces audio distortions in windy environments and increases fidelity, according to several video testimonies on their website.

The DeadCatDot evolved from Shorey’s efforts to shield the tiny, oddly-placed microphones built into small devices like pocket-shoot cameras. Designed to be clipped atop the delicate shape of the iPhone4, the DeadCatDots couldn’t be manufactured using traditional methods. Shorey decided to use 3D printing technology, namely a MakerBot Replicator 2, to address his particular design specifications, a move that he says saved him thousands of dollars. And because the MakerBot is so compact, DeadCatDots are able to be fabricated within their own “Corporate Headquarters,” or what looks to be a backyard New Mexican shed. Well, they did say eradicating “Wind Fail” would not be pretty.