The Xbox 360 wired controller is a great piece of kit, easily the best controller ever as a balance of price, reliability, and simplicity of use - the API has literally two functions, "what buttons are pressed" and "set vibration to X". The initial Xbox One controllers were a clear regression, although the recent Xbox One X are much better again. However, for use cases such as the submarine in TFA, wireless is a liability, not an improvement.
U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard submarines
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Re: U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard submarines
#42Former submariner here. My thoughts echo those of a ex-submariner group I'm a part of -- it makes sense across the board. It's 1) a cost saving measure, 2) WAY easier to get replacements, and 3) WAAAYY easier to train new people to use it safely and efficiently.
Prediction: the U.S. Navy will pay $1000+ for the controller.
Regular PMs by qualified staff with a certified spare available for the down time and a service contract to cover them both. I think its more in the + direction.
Re: U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard submarines
#43Former submariner here. My thoughts echo those of a ex-submariner group I'm a part of -- it makes sense across the board. It's 1) a cost saving measure, 2) WAY easier to get replacements, and 3) WAAAYY easier to train new people to use it safely and efficiently.
THe UK military has also been flying drones for about 10 years with Xbox controllers...
https://www.pyrosoft.co.uk/blog/2007/11/04/army-fly-uav-spy-...
Re: U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard submarines
#44Well I'd rather use awsd and a mouse personally.
Re: U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard submarines
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
How many COTS parts does a SpaceX rocket use?
The Musk biography is a pretty good source for that question. From what I remember, SpaceX produces a rather extreme fraction of its parts in-house (something like 80%–it's been a while). What they don't create themselves, they often source from the consumer market. They avoid the tradition space industry supplies wherever possible because they have had success with off-the-shelve parts available for a fraction of th…
To be fair 'space rated' does have meaning.
There is 'off the shelf', 'automotive', 'aeronautic', 'unmanned space' and 'manned space' quality gear.
If you think about it - when you're flying a plane, the 'tolerances' for everything just has to be higher - there's much more at risk.
In a complex system, there are a lot of single points of failure that can cause haywire.
Unsurprisingly, the tolerances for 'unmanned' vs. 'manned' space flight are quite different - and for good reason.
Perhaps the economics are not always quite right, it may make sense to make some small probe out of 'cheap gear' - but there is of course added risk, and usually, you 'only get one launch' attempt.
Finally - there's a reason a 'space grade' radio might cost $13K, and that's because they don't make very many :).
I interned on the Space Shuttle robot arm project - we made these aluminum 'handles' for the arm to grab onto. I mean - really, really basic stuff. $200K each. Engineering, overhead, testing, sales yada yada - we only ever made a few dozen.
Re: U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard submarines
#46I have been using an xbox one controller instead of a mouse for 4 or 5 months now. I use the qjoypad package to map the thing. It's really great and I believe it's why my chronic right-side back pain has completely vanished.
So as someone who uses this type of input device, I think it's a great fit for military use.
Re: U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard submarines
#47The Xbox 360 controller is literally the best controller in existence. The Xbox One controller is a step back. Quality control is fucked up, every single one of my Xbox One controllers has a (different) problem, whereas my about 8 Xbox 360 controllers were impeccable across the board until I wore them out. And forget about the PS controllers, they are garbage.
Re: U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard submarines
#48I have been using an xbox one controller instead of a mouse for 4 or 5 months now. I use the qjoypad package to map the thing. It's really great and I believe it's why my chronic right-side back pain has completely vanished. So as someone who uses this type of input device, I think it's a great fit for military use.
Wow, can you elaborate on how you employ it and what you think it did specifically to help?
Re: U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard submarines
#49I have been using an xbox one controller instead of a mouse for 4 or 5 months now. I use the qjoypad package to map the thing. It's really great and I believe it's why my chronic right-side back pain has completely vanished. So as someone who uses this type of input device, I think it's a great fit for military use.
Are we talking gaming only here? Otherwise, I'm very curious how you use the controller.
Re: U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard submarines
#50Why not? It's a good controller, cheap, and readily available.
I'm reminded of the in-joke in Metal Gear Solid 4 that saw Solid Snake use a PS3 controller to joystick around the "Metal Gear Mark II" recon drone. Then, as early as later that same year, actual soldiers were operating actual drones with Xbox controllers...