I don’t think that’s particularly bad. Logitech makes reliable input devices. I recall that the US Navy switched to Xbox controllers to control their periscopes on nuclear submarines and saved millions of dollars and found that people understood the controls better.
The navy uses it for periscopes, and training. Not piloting anything like this. This thing was definitely made as cheap as possible.
Sure, but they should still have to be vetted by the Defense Logistics Agency. That includes Quality Assurance overview.
I’ve seen a video of US Navy using an Xbox controller (arguably for experimental weapon iirc but still). If it just works why overengineer it? I would be more concerned about that hull (scuttlebutt says it was just carbon over titanium frame, not titanium hull overlayed with carbon). However I guess we will have to wait until they find the boat to know the reason for failure.
I don’t see any issues with this as long as they had several fail-safes in case of hardware malfunction. US military subs us Xbox controllers because it’s what people are comfortable with.
I had a Logitech F310 which started malfunctioning, where the left stick’s signal was always halfway to the left. Logitech’s quality isn’t what it used to be. I can imagine something like this happening on the submarine. Question is whether they had a replacement and if they even recognized that the gamepad was malfunctioning.
Fun fact: The Logitech Extreme 3D-stick is used in many professional systems, but those are reliable.
I feel like that’s the different between buying something and repurposing it and buying something and using it as intended.
In other words. Use the right tool for the job. A hammer isn’t a screwdriver just because you can technically hammer in screws.
Imagine having to pilot a submarine with stick drift.
I mean, Logitech makes reliable stuff. But shouldn’t they at lease have a player 2 MadKatz controller in a bin somewhere?
Much has been made of thos controller thing and I think it’s getting overblown. I can not speak authoritatively on the safety of the sub or the whole operation but I am aware that off the shelf video game controllers are used for a lot of things including even military vehicles. It’s a good controlling device for many things. Yeh it probably looks a little worrying when you step in to something being manoeuvered by a videogame controller, it’s not good vibes or optics but, it’s not itself a reliable signifier of anything really.
Yeah, if they had not used an off the shelf part, then people would make fun of the janky controls with “levers and pulleys.” The thing is a simple control scheme that’s well understood and easy to learn. It gives inputs to an onboard computer which interprets pilot intent and steers the vessel (how ever questionable the vessel’s construction might be).
Game controllers are used for all kinds of robots and vessels (often remote controlled) - so the fact they chose a controller does not weird me out at all.
Do I think they could have gotten a better quality controller? Yea, sure. Do I think maybe a wired controller would have been better? My gut says yes, but I don’t know their decision making process and the engineering challenges with running cables.
And it was probably the best built component of the entire sub
That is one of the least concerning parts of this lol, at least Logitech makes quality peripherals. If I had to choose a single manufacturer for input devices, it’d probably be them.
This is an interesting article that makes some good points. Why re-invent the wheel and potentially make something unnecessarily complicated and less reliable when simple items with simple electronics often have less that could go wrong?
Maybe, but wired is simpler then wireless and it sounds like everything was done on the cheapest possible route. It’s likely the controller, which was for the camera control(?) had nothing to do with the failure, but does shed some light into the design philosophy.
Im mocking them for going deep underwater in a tin can to look at bunch of rusty metal. Oh and they paid for the pleasure.
I think most people are roasting their choice of game controller. The cheapo Logitech model. Plus if they wanted simple and reliable I would think a wired version would be better, not the wireless model. The military is all the time using them for controlling UAVs and stuff in the field. Nobody really pokes fun because it doesn’t look like the cheap controller you’d hand off to “player 2”.
Should have used a Xbox 360 controller
They could’ve done a 360 and walked away…
If they did a 360, they’d still be walking forward…
Not to worry, just do another 360.
Nottheonion?
And to think a billionaire was on board.
So it’s not a total loss then?
Don’t know why this is news. I have those Logitech controllers still in service and they still work after years. Generic controller input works with everything.
Probably was the most reliable thing on the sun.
The US Navy uses game controllers to control their parascope.
If it works it wo…
never mind.
