U.S. Navy to use Xbox 360 controllers to operate periscopes aboard submarines

Post by wallace_f » Tue, Sep 19, 2017, 5:44 PM UTC

alexasmyths wrote: post #198

alexasmyths wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Though there is a lot of bureaucracy, you'd be surprised at how much work it is. Consider how much a massive 'clean room' costs to operate. Consider how much gear it takes to simulate the operation of massive robot arm in a 0G environment, when we live in a 1G environment. Consider what happens when a 1 ton arm, attached to a 20 ton structure, applies toque to a 1/2 ton satellite... when the satellite is moving ... C…

"easily do integrated testing of several disjoined components at once." It just doesn't work that way. It's an area of hyper-specialization. Everything made for space is a 'one off', there really are no economies of focus or scale. Maybe in launch. There just aren't 'lines of business' in space really. Once you walk in the situation and spend a few days there, and see what's going on, you get it. I haven't even scrat…

Post by luma » Tue, Sep 19, 2017, 5:57 PM UTC

jsjohnst wrote: post #155

LibertyBeta wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good points, but I think we can work around them. 1) As others have said xinput is pervasive as this point. If the Xbox 360 controller becomes hard to source then I'm sure a replacement xinput derived device will still be around. If not, it's a well documented standard and new devices can be made. 2) This leans on my first response. Xinput is the winner here, not the Xbox controller. If after testing they can't harde…

> If the Xbox 360 controller becomes hard to source then I'm sure a replacement xinput derived device will still be around. If not, it's a well documented standard and new devices can be made. First of all, I want to say I agree with you. That said, you didn't really refute GP's point. The IBM XT was well documented, had many clones and alternatives, but still you can't find parts at most electronic stores 33 years l…

Post by rasz » Tue, Sep 19, 2017, 7:11 PM UTC

chuckdries wrote: post #126

rasz wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Microsoft doesnt manufacture those microcontrollers, they are off the shelf Microchip/Infineon parts.

Also there are a LOT of third party xbox controllers out there - I'm sure they don't mind if it's an official controller or not.

Post by zzzeek » Tue, Sep 19, 2017, 8:57 PM UTC

dboshardy wrote: post #173

zzzeek wrote: post #162

I worked at a military contractor one summer, decades ago. Back then, nothing went out that wasn't mil-spec. My novice understanding of this was that equipment used by the military must be able to withstand a much wider variety of stress, and exhibit a much greater degree of usability under every possible scenario, than could be provided by consumer-level products. Specifically, my job at the time was sitting in a da…

No it probably doesn't do well when wet or corroded, but, instead of $38,000 for single point of failure, you now have watertight box of 20 (or more) $30 controllers.

Post by kobeya » Wed, Sep 20, 2017, 12:01 AM UTC

heavenlyblue wrote: post #192

alexasmyths wrote: post #189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Though there is a lot of bureaucracy, you'd be surprised at how much work it is. Consider how much a massive 'clean room' costs to operate. Consider how much gear it takes to simulate the operation of massive robot arm in a 0G environment, when we live in a 1G environment. Consider what happens when a 1 ton arm, attached to a 20 ton structure, applies toque to a 1/2 ton satellite... when the satellite is moving ... C…

And we've managed to end up with shuttle with all of that bureaucracy. I understand the complexity of the issue at hand. I can. Nevertheless simple handles going for 200K a piece is a vast budget. Any proper business would quickly open up an internal department to "do the handles" since it both allows them to grow for free (you get additional specialists and the handles) and allows to use the same engineers for somet…