When a game controller won’t cut it
A midnight recon mission over hostile territory would be a really bad time for the user interface on a remotely piloted vehicle to to poop out. That’s why human-machine interface gear such as joysticks and hand controls for UAVs are prime candidates for ruggedizing. The first generation of UAV user controls were sometimes little more than glorified game controllers, with commensurate reliablity. That has now changed as more unmanned systems get their own custom-designed user controls. An example is this 3D-printed prototype controller from Otto Engineering Inc. Otto says high durability is a priority among unmanned systems suppliers. Otto also says it is increasingly asked to build advanced features into its user controls, such as butterfly mechanisms for tactile feedback.
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