Technology

I think Logitech should take responsibility and give them a $30 voucher

Since the story came out people fixated on "lol he used a shitty gaming controller" but really that is one of the least sketchy design choices in the entire rig. Why reinvent the wheel and make a custom set of controls that are realistically another huge expense and potential failure point, when off the shelf solutions exist for that component?

The corners that were cut are the ones involving the viewport/nose adhesion to the ships frame, and the structural integrity of the carbon fiber hull itself. They had test data suggesting it was a bad idea to engage in repeated dives with their design, and an even worse idea to operate at the depths they chose. They decided to ignore that.

🤦‍♂️

If anything that controller was the most solidly built thing on that entire sub.

"Rush, who saw himself as an innovator like "Steve Jobs or Elon Musk," the complaint says, once told Pogue, "At some point, safety just is pure waste." Rush thought he had found a lighter way to build subs."

This really summarizes the mindset of most second+ generation rich people. Because this guy lived with a lot of inherited money and power all his life, he assumed that everything that comes out of his brain must be the ultimate truth. So much so that without even a single reservation he happily took his son with him to that journey knowing full well that the submarine was probably violating several critical safety requirements that he deemed unnecessary. We are basically being ruled by such people folks.

Question. Who are they actually suing? Didn't the bozo die along with everyone else? So who would hold responsibility?

I wouldn't use a wireless controller playing subnautica. This is on the company for using sub par tech. Next time use first party wired!

Is it because everything else on the sub was ordered from aliexpress and pieced together? This was the only part from a legitimate manufacturer?

This controller kept me in rocket league gold for months. I put it on eBay and some shmuck said they need it in a submarine but are on a budget so max can do is three fiddy. I just wanted to get rid of the thing

The complaint does not allege that the Logitech wireless controller, the carbon fiber construction, Titan's innovative porthole, or the use of disparate materials with differing expansion/compression coefficients—four main areas of criticism—were individually responsible for the sub's implosion. But it does suggest that these systems could have together contributed to a "daisy chain of failures of multiple improperly designed or constructed parts or systems."

It's true, I bought one thinking it was cheaper and easier than a PS5 controller, and my couch imploded.

Behind the Bastards did a pretty great two-parter on Stockton Rush, and how a) he completely shit the bed while ignoring all the super-deep-exploration experts, and b) how nature was totally telegraphing to Rush and OceanGate that this submersible is totally not doing it and will end in a spectacular tragedy, only no one else will be down there to watch but the fishes.

The controller wasn't a particularly weak link, though for safety's sake I'd want there to be a redundant spare, and it set up for plug and play. But higher on my priority list would be things like integrity monitors and an emergency way to open the sub from the inside (the hatch was bolted from the outside, and there were no emergency exit measures.

Oh yeah, the controller is clearly the one a fault here......

I mean, they clearly made this for an submersible, one made of carbon fibre specifically.

At this point filing a multi-million dollar lawsuit against OceanGate will be like trying to extract blood from a stone.

What tangible assets do OceanGate really have left to pay Nargeolet's estate? Their CEO (the maverick aerospace engineer who thought he was 'revolutionizing' the submarine industry by cutting corners) is dead, their only active submersible imploded, their reputation has been tainted by the fact that they've been selling billionaires what is effectively a carbon fiber coffin waiting to implode, and any angel investors have probably pulled out harder than a porn star on the verge of climax.

Even then, they may not even have a case. IANAL but in an age where every single tech and gaming company has been pushing through class action waivers and forced arbitration clauses in their Terms of Service, I get the feeling that any attempts at suing OceanGate will be thrown out of court by the waivers each passenger had to sign.

There is a sense of irony in people celebrating this disaster on social media because it means "five less billionaires in the world." No, this is potentially a massive L for us commoners, because it shows just how much corporate greed can destroy lives. If the rich can be screwed this badly by an unregulated corporation, imagine what corporate giants can do to people who can't afford lawyers.

Could be worse. Could have used a left Joy-con.

willfully get in a sub built by an idiot known to have said very weird things about safety

die

your „estate” sues the sub company for $50 million

but it seems likely that the Logitech controller—along with the five people on the sub—is gone forever.

Love it

Everyone's joking here but I've owned and used an F710 since 2009 and they are ABSOLUTE CRAP.

I'm not even joking but their range is like 3 feet in the BEST conditions and their USB controller is proprietary and doesn't even work with OTHER F710s.

Anyone who's used one for more than a few hours knows this.

Why do I still use mine? Well the hand feel is amazing and the weight is perfect, but everything else is terrible and shouldn't even be used for gaming.

Pretty sure the fly by wire system isn't why the beer can imploded.