Buzz
Based on previously released photos and videos, the Titan sub seems to be navigated using a gaming joystick.
In recent days, public attention has been focused on the fate of Titan, a private submarine carrying 5 passengers that suddenly disappeared just after 1 hour and 45 minutes during a tourist expedition to the Titanic wreck on June 18th. As rescue teams race to locate the missing submarine, questions arise about the safety of manufacturing the Titan sub. It is designed to only open from the outside.
Specifically, before the sub begins its descent, a support team locks the crew inside by closing hatches from the outside and sealing them with 17 bolts. Design flaws like these led to a lawsuit filed in 2018 regarding the safety of the sub's hull. Notably, based on previously released photos and videos of the Titan sub, it appears to be controlled by a gaming joystick. The joystick model in question is used on PC, designed by Logitech with the code name Logitech GF710, as discovered by many online users.
Online users discovered that the Logitech GF710 joystick was used to control the Titan submarine in a previously conducted documentary.
Launched in 2010, this joystick model features a design similar to Sony's PlayStation controllers, with a selling price of around 30 USD (equivalent to over 700,000 VND). With over 4,000 customer reviews on Amazon, the Logitech GF710 has a rating of 4.2 out of 5. Customers particularly appreciate the ergonomic design of the joystick.
Another website, LevelSkip, points out common user complaints, including the use of AA batteries in the controller (instead of lithium-ion), poor quality of the D-pad directional keys, and occasional wireless connectivity issues. It is known that the version used on the Titan sub seems to have modifications to assist in controlling this vessel.
While using a gaming controller to operate a submarine may seem like a fanciful concept, in reality, this device (or devices designed with gaming controller-inspired features) is often used by militaries worldwide to control drones, tanks, and other vehicles. The U.S. Navy has employed gaming controllers to operate parts of submarines, including periscopes, according to Vice.
As for the Titan sub, it is one of the world's only privately-owned manned submersibles capable of reaching depths of 4000 meters below sea level. While OceanGate has also operated a sister sub named Cyclops since 2015, the Titan sub is explicitly constructed to allow tourists to visit the Titanic wreck. According to the company, Titan weighs approximately 10,432 kg and features a carbon fiber hull that is 13 cm thick, reinforced with two titanium dome end-caps. It can reach depths of up to 4,000m (13,123ft) below sea level, surpassing the U.S. Navy's deepest diving sub - the USS Dolphin - which reached depths of 900m below sea level.
GPS is not an option when the submarine is at depths like Titan. A specially designed text messaging system allows the crew to receive instructions from the surface vessel. The crew then controls the sub based on these instructions using a gaming joystick.
Instead, a specially designed text messaging system allows the crew to receive instructions from the surface vessel above. In aircraft, pilots control based on these instructions using modified electronic game controllers. Rush, speaking to CBS News last year, stated that controlling the auxiliary was 'not skill-intensive.'
The interior space of the submarine is extremely cramped, measuring only 670 cm x 280 cm x 250 cm and can accommodate a crew of only 5 people - one pilot and 4 passengers. Though larger than competing counterparts, passengers have to sit on the floor with limited space for movement. At the front of the sub is a large vaulted window providing an observation point, which OceanGate claims is the 'largest observation frame of any manned submersible under deep-sea conditions.'
Quite interestingly, the Titan sub features a dedicated restroom for passengers in the auxiliary front. A small curtain is drawn when in use, and the pilot will play some preloaded music on the sub.
The vessel is equipped with powerful exterior lights used to illuminate the Titanic wreck. Several 4k cameras are also mounted outside, and an external laser scanner and sonar are used for seafloor mapping. Inside, the crew can view the Titanic wreck on a large digital display screen, simultaneously reviewing the data collected on several tablets. Titan has approximately 96 hours of oxygen reserves on board, but this is influenced by the crew's breathing rhythm.
Due to facing extreme pressure at depths near 4000m (where the Titanic wreck lies), Titan has a real-time hull monitoring system. It has sensors to analyze the impact of pressure changes on the submarine as it descends, evaluating the structural integrity.
Reference: Mashable / BBC
