did some work to assemble it together

script/controller.py

@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ def handle_request(r):
 
     elif module == 'imitator':
         if message == 'imitate':
-            if STATE in ('imitate', 'idle'):
-                STATE = 'imitate'
+            if STATE == 'imitate':
                 permission = True
             else:
                 permission = False
@@ -66,13 +65,15 @@ def handle_request(r):
             else:
                 permission = False
 
-    print 'Got request from %s to %s. Permission: %s. State is now: %s.' % (
-        module, message, permission, STATE
+    rospy.loginfo(
+        'Got request from %s to %s. Permission: %s. State is now: %s.' % (
+            module, message, permission, STATE
+        )
     )
     return InformControllerResponse(permission)
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    rospy.init_node('controller')
+    rospy.init_node('controller', log_level=rospy.INFO)
     ic = rospy.Service('inform_controller', InformController, handle_request)
     rospy.spin()