The Navy Will Soon Use Xbox Controllers to Operate Its Attack Submarines

Megalith

Megalith

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The Navy will be using Xbox 360 controllers to operate the periscopes on board Virginia-class submarines: these subs do not utilize traditional rotating tube periscopes but two photonic masts that are controlled with a helicopter-style stick. Sailors did not like how those worked and decided to replace them with an accessory they grew up with.

Lockheed Martin says the sailors who tested the controller at its lab were intuitively able to figure out how to use it on their own within minutes, compared to hours of training required for the joystick. The Xbox controller also is significantly cheaper. The company says the photonic mast hand grip and imaging control panel that cost about $38,000 can now be replaced with an Xbox controller that typically costs less than $30.
 
update your usb drivers Military grade and style LULZ wtf omg.................
 
beemanit said:
War has become a game now.
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Only now?

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It makes sense that they would do this.

Personally I consider console controllers horrifically bad, but considering that most recruits have plenty of experience with them, it makes sense to use something that minimizes the learning curve...

I'm just happy I'm not in the Navy, as I would hate being forced to use one :p
 
dyzophoria said:
They should go with the xbox one controllers, I find them way more comfortable.
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The author of the article stated 360, but every quote only calls them xbox controllers. So I would be willing to be that they are using Xbox One controllers as they said that they were using off the shelf parts. Would be kind of hard to find off the shelf 360 controllers now. Like most things in this day and age, think that is just piss poor writing there.
 
Exavior said:
The author of the article stated 360, but every quote only calls them xbox controllers. So I would be willing to be that they are using Xbox One controllers as they said that they were using off the shelf parts. Would be kind of hard to find off the shelf 360 controllers now. Like most things in this day and age, think that is just piss poor writing there.
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In my experience you cannot find Xbox One controllers for $30, but you can find 360 ones for that.
 
Exavior said:
The author of the article stated 360, but every quote only calls them xbox controllers. So I would be willing to be that they are using Xbox One controllers as they said that they were using off the shelf parts. Would be kind of hard to find off the shelf 360 controllers now. Like most things in this day and age, think that is just piss poor writing there.
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Especially since current Xbox One controllers support USB and Bluetooth connections by default, something the wireless Xbox 360 controllers did not.
 
Makes sense. The controllers are cheap, reliable, well understood by the soldiers, etc.

MS spent millions of dollars developing that controller. The Navy gets to reap the rewards of that.

It is worth saying some bomb disposal robots use the xbox controller already so the military has experience in using the controller. I've read that the PlayStation one is as well but I haven't seen pictures of it. Really in the end it doesn't matter which is used(I personally prefer the xbox one). Both are very good, cheap options.
 
swatbat said:
Makes sense. The controllers are cheap, reliable, well understood by the soldiers, etc.

MS spent millions of dollars developing that controller. The Navy gets to reap the rewards of that.

It is worth saying some bomb disposal robots use the xbox controller already so the military has experience in using the controller. I've read that the PlayStation one is as well but I haven't seen pictures of it. Really in the end it doesn't matter which is used(I personally prefer the xbox one). Both are very good, cheap options.
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Yeah, they have been doing this for awhile. Even medical equipment has went that way. People are use to playing video games so you give them a video game controller and it is no different to them than playing a game so they can pick up on it quick. Much different than having to learn some specialized system that is clunky.
 
Just found an article that had a picture. colored xyba buttons, that is a 360 controller.
 
Nothing wrong with this... another great use for what is a VERY versatile, simple, and nearly indestructible input device. Although I am not sure if M$ intentionally designs their peripherals to be mil-spec grade, but they are my go to at work when possible to swap out the custom unreliable - out of stock - exorbitantly priced OEM military off the shelf input device (looking at you Lockheed Martin :p ).
 
I wonder if they have a clear upgrade path to the Xbox Elite extra durable controllers?
 
Holy crap, what win-win in terms of training and cost.

Training time went from hours to minutes and the cost went from $38,000 to $30.

Crazy idea that actually works, looks like MS is going to keep producing 360 controllers for a while.
 
I hope the Navy uses their home made ones, otherwise if other countries know that the US military uses standard XBOX controllers, they can just put in some back door at the factory which allows them control later on.
 
I got no problem with them emulating the grip, button layout, or even the idea of using thumbsticks. By all means reuse the concept.

What I got a problem with is this is for a periscope on a submarine, one of it's key functions. And we're trusting that functionality to a piece of shit Xbox controller? They aren't exactly that reliable when used in their normal environment. Fortunately, they are really cheap to replace. I hope they keep spare controllers on board.
 
Exavior said:
The author of the article stated 360, but every quote only calls them xbox controllers. So I would be willing to be that they are using Xbox One controllers as they said that they were using off the shelf parts. Would be kind of hard to find off the shelf 360 controllers now. Like most things in this day and age, think that is just piss poor writing there.
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And you would be wrong.
 
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