The Titanic Sub $40 controller of the submersible that vanished off the coast of Newfoundland with five people aboard has been one of the main points of criticism to this tragedy.
The sub was piloted with a slightly modified Logitech G F710 Wireless Gamepad (MSRP $39.99), and that has raised concerns all over the internet and damaged the reputation of OceanGate’s use of a mid-tier games controller. However there is some justification to it.
However, it has become increasingly common for heavy military equipment, including tanks and submarines, to be controlled using off-the-shelf or slightly modified video game controllers.
The U.S. Navy is deploying Xbox controllers on its submarines to replace bulky flight sticks for controlling periscopes and photonic masts.
In this case, the Xbox controllers aren’t controlling the whole sub, just a part of it. But gamepads are controlling much more than other military machines. Controllers are great off-the-shelf solutions because they’re cheap, and younger recruits are already familiar with them.
It’s interesting to see how gamepads are so good at controlling things that the U.S. military frequently uses them. This is because they’re cheap, and younger recruits are already familiar with them. It’s not just submarines; the U.S. Army has used Xbox controllers for operating drones. What do you think about this? Do you think using a Titanic Sub $40 controller was a good idea?
