Thomas has found a brilliant and practical way to combine his expertise in audio analysis with the loyalty and intelligence of his Border Collie, Einstein.
When conducting measurements using Smaart (System Measurement Acoustic Analysis Real-time Tool), Thomas sometimes needs to place a measurement microphone in specific listening positions—often in hard-to-reach or time-consuming spots to access manually.
That’s where Einstein comes in. As a well-trained shepherd dog with a degeree, Einstein understands directional commands like left, right, forward, and lay down. This makes him the perfect assistant in the field.
Here’s how it works:
Border Collie Einstein – the Acoustic Assistant
Thomas attaches a lightweight MELLab TX-3 measurement microphone to a specially designed harness on Einstein’s back. The cable runs to a wireless GOADIMIC transmitter.
Then, using whistle signals or voice commands, Thomas guides Einstein to the desired mic position in the venue or field:
come bye – Einstein pivots and trots left (clockwise) walk on – He continues across the room to a predefined measurement point.
“Lay down!”– Once he’s in position, Einstein lies down calmly, holding the mic in the exact spot Thomas needs.
If Thomas needs the mic moved to another location, Einstein is simply directed to the next spot.
Because of Einstein’s impeccable obedience and keen sense of spatial awareness, he can navigate even complex indoor environments like concert halls, theaters, or outdoor locations with minimal supervision. Thomas jokingly refers to this setup as “Remote-Controlled Reference Mic Placement.” It’s efficient, charming, and surprisingly accurate.
This method not only saves Thomas time during setup and testing—it also brings a touch of personality and innovation to his work.
People often smile when they see Einstein walking calmly across the room, mic in tow, like a furry little sound technician.