everything seems to work together as expected

(if not perfectly)

script/controller.py

@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ def inform_controller_factory(who):
 def handle_request(r):
     module = r.module
     message = r.message
+    _state_old = STATE
+    permission = False
     global STATE
 
     if module == 'walker':
@@ -30,12 +32,10 @@ def handle_request(r):
             if STATE in ('idle', 'walk'):
                 STATE = 'walk'
                 permission = True
-            else:
-                permission = False
         elif message == 'stop':
             if STATE == 'walk':
                 STATE = 'idle'
-            permission = True
+                permission = True
 
     elif module == 'fall_detector':
         permission = True
@@ -48,28 +48,27 @@ def handle_request(r):
         if message == 'imitate':
             if STATE == 'imitate':
                 permission = True
-            else:
-                permission = False
 
     elif module == 'speech_recognition':
-        if message == 'imitate':
+        if message == 'recognize':
+            if STATE in ('idle', 'imitate'):
+                permission = True
+        elif message == 'imitate':
             if STATE == 'idle':
                 STATE = 'imitate'
                 permission = True
-            else:
-                permission = False
-        if message == 'stop':
+        elif message == 'stop':
             if STATE == 'imitate':
                 STATE = 'idle'
                 permission = True
-            else:
-                permission = False
 
-    rospy.loginfo(
-        'Got request from %s to %s. Permission: %s. State is now: %s.' % (
+    rospy.logdebug(
+        'GOT REQUEST FROM %s TO %s.\nPERMISSION: %s.\nSTATE IS NOW: %s.' % (
             module, message, permission, STATE
         )
     )
+    if _state_old != STATE:
+        rospy.loginfo('{} -> {}'.format(_state_old, STATE))
     return InformControllerResponse(permission)