Kernel panic while initialising firmware on USB haptics device

Trying to develop for a USB haptics device "Novint Falcon" using open source driver libnifalcon 1.0.2 (which in turn uses libusb1.0). Kernel panics on initialisation of device. Several different "oops" crash reports from /var/crash follow. Haven't been able to get the log of a panic because it doesn't seem to save them anywhere.

I have ran memtest86 over the weekend with 116 passes and no errors. Tried updating to development release 14.10 but no improvement.

ProblemType: KernelOops
Annotation: Your system might become unstable now and might need to be restarted.
Date: Fri Jun 13 12:28:07 2014
Failure: oops
OopsText:
 general protection fault: 0000 [#1] SMP
 Modules linked in: hid_generic snd_hda_codec_hdmi snd_hda_codec_via snd_hda_intel snd_hda_codec snd_hwdep snd_pcm snd_page_alloc snd_seq_midi snd_seq_midi_event snd_rawmidi kvm_amd snd_seq kvm snd_seq_device snd_timer usbhid edac_core hid k10temp serio_raw edac_mce_amd snd sp5100_tco i2c_piix4 soundcore shpchp parport_pc ppdev f71882fg lp mac_hid parport pata_acpi radeon psmouse pata_atiixp i2c_algo_bit ttm drm_kms_helper drm ahci atl1c libahci
 CPU: 0 PID: 558 Comm: rs:main Q:Reg Not tainted 3.13.0-29-generic #53-Ubuntu
 Hardware name: To Be Filled By O.E.M. To Be Filled By O.E.M./IPC-AM3DD785G, BIOS AM3DD785G0301 04/23/2010
 task: ffff88006fad17f0 ti: ffff880070b2a000 task.ti: ffff880070b2a000
 RIP: 0010:[<ffffffff811a3de5>] [<ffffffff811a3de5>] __kmalloc_track_caller+0x95/0x230
 RSP: 0018:ffff880070b2bcd8 EFLAGS: 00010286
 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff880072e18938 RCX: 000000000003364a
 RDX: 0000000000033649 RSI: 0000000000000000 RDI: 0000000000000000
 RBP: ffff880070b2bd10 R08: 0000000000017180 R09: ffff880075401e00
 R10: ffff880070f2d800 R11: 0000000000000001 R12: 00000000000000d0
 R13: ff2c440a00416011 R14: 0000000000000007 R15: ffff880075401e00
 FS: 00007f44f7260700(0000) GS:ffff880077c00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033
 CR2: 00007fd21068e000 CR3: 00000000360ac000 CR4: 00000000000007f0
 Stack:
  ffff880075401e00 ffffffff811fed4e ffff880072e18938 0000000000000007
  00000000000000d0 ffff88007006cac8 ffff880036234e10 ffff880070b2bd38
  ffffffff81169e11 0000000000000001 ffff88007409f2a8 ffff880072e18938
 Call Trace:
  [<ffffffff811fed4e>] ? fsnotify_create_event+0x8e/0x1a0
  [<ffffffff81169e11>] kstrdup+0x31/0x60
  [<ffffffff811fed4e>] fsnotify_create_event+0x8e/0x1a0
  [<ffffffff811fde82>] send_to_group+0x192/0x230
  [<ffffffff81239ab9>] ? ext4_file_write+0x99/0x400
  [<ffffffff811fe205>] fsnotify+0x2e5/0x320
  [<ffffffff811fe41f>] __fsnotify_parent+0x8f/0xf0
  [<ffffffff811bc8a3>] vfs_write+0x143/0x1f0
  [<ffffffff811bd249>] SyS_write+0x49/0xa0
  [<ffffffff8172adff>] tracesys+0xe1/0xe6
 Code: dc 00 00 49 8b 50 08 4d 8b 28 49 8b 40 10 4d 85 ed 0f 84 1a 01 00 00 48 85 c0 0f 84 11 01 00 00 49 63 47 20 48 8d 4a 01 4d 8b 07 <49> 8b 5c 05 00 4c 89 e8 65 49 0f c7 08 0f 94 c0 84 c0 74 b8 49
 RIP [<ffffffff811a3de5>] __kmalloc_track_caller+0x95/0x230
  RSP <ffff880070b2bcd8>
 ---[ end trace fdf9c78b9c2af102 ]---

Package: linux-image-3.13.0-29-generic 3.13.0-29.53
SourcePackage: linux
Tags: kernel-oops
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-29-generic x86_64

ProblemType: KernelOops
Annotation: Your system might become unstable now and might need to be restarted.
Date: Fri Jun 13 12:29:08 2014
Failure: oops
OopsText:
 general protection fault: 0000 [#4] SMP
 Modules linked in: hid_generic snd_hda_codec_hdmi snd_hda_codec_via snd_hda_intel snd_hda_codec snd_hwdep snd_pcm snd_page_alloc snd_seq_midi snd_seq_midi_event snd_rawmidi kvm_amd snd_seq kvm snd_seq_device snd_timer usbhid edac_core hid k10temp serio_raw edac_mce_amd snd sp5100_tco i2c_piix4 soundcore shpchp parport_pc ppdev f71882fg lp mac_hid parport pata_acpi radeon psmouse pata_atiixp i2c_algo_bit ttm drm_kms_helper drm ahci atl1c libahci
 CPU: 0 PID: 37 Comm: khubd Tainted: G D 3.13.0-29-generic #53-Ubuntu
 Hardware name: To Be Filled By O.E.M. To Be Filled By O.E.M./IPC-AM3DD785G, BIOS AM3DD785G0301 04/23/2010
 task: ffff880074668000 ti: ffff880074662000 task.ti: ffff880074662000
 RIP: 0010:[<ffffffff811a1b80>] [<ffffffff811a1b80>] kmem_cache_alloc_trace+0x80/0x1f0
 RSP: 0018:ffff880074663d30 EFLAGS: 00010286
 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 0000000000000000 RCX: 000000000003364a
 RDX: 0000000000033649 RSI: 0000000000000010 RDI: ffff880075401e00
 RBP: ffff880074663d68 R08: 0000000000017180 R09: ffff880075401e00
 R10: ffffffff81541b02 R11: ffffffff81541b94 R12: ff2c440a00416011
 R13: 0000000000000010 R14: 0000000000000008 R15: ffff880075401e00
 FS: 00007ff4c9614700(0000) GS:ffff880077c00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 000000008005003b
 CR2: 00007fd21068e000 CR3: 0000000071292000 CR4: 00000000000007f0
 Stack:
  ffff880075401e00 ffffffff81541b02 0000000000000000 0000000000000001
  0000000000000001 0000000000000010 0000000000000001 ffff880074663db8
  ffffffff81541b02 ffff880036069800 0000002380000100 ffff880000000004
 Call Trace:
  [<ffffffff81541b02>] ? usb_control_msg+0x42/0x110
  [<ffffffff81541b02>] usb_control_msg+0x42/0x110
  [<ffffffff81536b78>] usb_clear_port_feature+0x48/0x50
  [<ffffffff8153b688>] hub_events+0x448/0xa20
  [<ffffffff8153bc95>] hub_thread+0x35/0x160
  [<ffffffff810aaea0>] ? prepare_to_wait_event+0x100/0x100
  [<ffffffff8153bc60>] ? hub_events+0xa20/0xa20
  [<ffffffff8108b322>] kthread+0xd2/0xf0
  [<ffffffff8108b250>] ? kthread_create_on_node+0x1d0/0x1d0
  [<ffffffff8172ab3c>] ret_from_fork+0x7c/0xb0
  [<ffffffff8108b250>] ? kthread_create_on_node+0x1d0/0x1d0
 Code: dc 00 00 49 8b 50 08 4d 8b 20 49 8b 40 10 4d 85 e4 0f 84 14 01 00 00 48 85 c0 0f 84 0b 01 00 00 49 63 47 20 48 8d 4a 01 4d 8b 07 <49> 8b 1c 04 4c 89 e0 65 49 0f c7 08 0f 94 c0 84 c0 74 b9 49 63
 RIP [<ffffffff811a1b80>] kmem_cache_alloc_trace+0x80/0x1f0
  RSP <ffff880074663d30>
 ---[ end trace fdf9c78b9c2af105 ]---

Package: linux-image-3.13.0-29-generic 3.13.0-29.53
SourcePackage: linux
Tags: kernel-oops
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-29-generic x86_64

ProblemType: KernelOops
Annotation: Your system might become unstable now and might need to be restarted.
Date: Fri Jun 20 14:06:00 2014
Failure: oops
OopsText:
 general protection fault: 0000 [#1] SMP
 Modules linked in: snd_seq_midi snd_seq_midi_event snd_hda_codec_hdmi snd_rawmidi snd_hda_codec_via snd_seq snd_hda_codec_generic snd_hda_intel snd_hda_controller kvm_amd snd_hda_codec snd_hwdep kvm snd_pcm edac_core serio_raw k10temp edac_mce_amd snd_seq_device snd_timer sp5100_tco i2c_piix4 snd soundcore parport_pc ppdev tpm_infineon f71882fg lp mac_hid parport shpchp hid_generic usbhid hid pata_acpi radeon psmouse i2c_algo_bit pata_atiixp ttm drm_kms_helper drm atl1c ahci libahci
 CPU: 1 PID: 2643 Comm: a.out Not tainted 3.15.0-6-generic #11-Ubuntu
 Hardware name: To Be Filled By O.E.M. To Be Filled By O.E.M./IPC-AM3DD785G, BIOS AM3DD785G0301 04/23/2010
 task: ffff880073363260 ti: ffff880034020000 task.ti: ffff880034020000
 RIP: 0010:[<ffffffff811b4b47>] [<ffffffff811b4b47>] kmem_cache_alloc_trace+0x77/0x1e0
 RSP: 0018:ffff880034023d70 EFLAGS: 00010282
 RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff8800388b9e40 RCX: 00000000000231dc
 RDX: 00000000000231db RSI: 00000000000000d0 RDI: ffff880075401e00
 RBP: ffff880034023da8 R08: 0000000000017700 R09: 0000000000f4e1d0
 R10: ffffffff8157772c R11: 0000000000000246 R12: ff2c440a00416011
 R13: 00000000000000d0 R14: ffff880075401e00 R15: ffff880075401e00
 FS: 00007fb495761780(0000) GS:ffff880077c40000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000
 CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033
 CR2: 00000000020a00c0 CR3: 000000004f1d4000 CR4: 00000000000007e0
 Stack:
  ffffffff8157772c 0000000000000008 ffff8800388b9e40 00000000ffffffff
  0000000000f3dd28 ffff880034023e60 ffff880046fa9848 ffff880034023e38
  ffffffff8157772c ffff8800374ed8a0 ffff880046fa98f0 ffffffff81577047
 Call Trace:
  [<ffffffff8157772c>] ? proc_do_submiturb+0x1ec/0xd60
  [<ffffffff8157772c>] proc_do_submiturb+0x1ec/0xd60
  [<ffffffff81577047>] ? free_async+0xd7/0xf0
  [<ffffffff811b367e>] ? kfree+0x13e/0x150
  [<ffffffff8157889c>] usbdev_do_ioctl+0x5fc/0x1060
  [<ffffffff8157932e>] usbdev_ioctl+0xe/0x20
  [<ffffffff811e4e28>] do_vfs_ioctl+0x2c8/0x4a0
  [<ffffffff810a3e94>] ? vtime_account_user+0x54/0x60
  [<ffffffff811e5081>] SyS_ioctl+0x81/0xa0
  [<ffffffff8176e33f>] tracesys+0xe1/0xe6
 Code: 25 c8 dd 00 00 49 8b 50 08 4d 8b 20 4d 85 e4 0f 84 1f 01 00 00 49 83 78 10 00 0f 84 14 01 00 00 49 63 47 20 48 8d 4a 01 4d 8b 07 <49> 8b 1c 04 4c 89 e0 65 49 0f c7 08 0f 94 c0 84 c0 74 bb 49 63
 RIP [<ffffffff811b4b47>] kmem_cache_alloc_trace+0x77/0x1e0
  RSP <ffff880034023d70>
 ---[ end trace 39a5951a6cb0e114 ]---

Package: linux-image-3.15.0-6-generic 3.15.0-6.11
SourcePackage: linux
Tags: kernel-oops
Uname: Linux 3.15.0-6-generic x86_64
---
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.2
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: amy 1859 F.... pulseaudio
                      amy 2011 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: amy 1859 F.... pulseaudio
                      amy 2011 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: KDE
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=966fc901-0a7a-459e-9743-bbf979dbbe76
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-06-23 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140416.1)
IwConfig:
 eth0 no wireless extensions.

 lo no wireless extensions.
MachineType: To Be Filled By O.E.M. To Be Filled By O.E.M.
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-29-generic root=UUID=efd7144e-ba30-47c9-8c17-5ec658414456 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-29.53-generic 3.13.11.2
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.13.0-29-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.13.0-29-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.127.2
RfKill:

Tags: trusty
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-29-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dip lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
_MarkForUpload: True
dmi.bios.date: 04/23/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: AM3DD785G0301
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: IPC-AM3DD785G
dmi.board.vendor: Sapphire Tech.
dmi.board.version: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrAM3DD785G0301:bd04/23/2010:svnToBeFilledByO.E.M.:pnToBeFilledByO.E.M.:pvrToBeFilledByO.E.M.:rvnSapphireTech.:rnIPC-AM3DD785G:rvrTobefilledbyO.E.M.:cvnToBeFilledByO.E.M.:ct3:cvrToBeFilledByO.E.M.:
dmi.product.name: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.product.version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.sys.vendor: To Be Filled By O.E.M.