It has been four years since the Steam Deck was released. While most people simply use it to play games while lounging, scientists at Airbus in the UK have been using it to test the ExoMars rover.
In a video posted by YouTuber Tom Scott, a senior Airbus engineer gave him an update on the development progress of the new rover. The rover is currently undergoing testing in a simulated Martian environment. Due to the vast distance between Mars and Earth, the rover will eventually operate autonomously using onboard 3D cameras, though at this stage, it is still controlled via a local computer.
Initially, the engineer sent commands to the prototype rover via a laptop to make it move forward. Later in the video, Scott was handed a Steam Deck running custom software and used the handheld’s built-in controls to pilot another prototype rover in real-time.
Unfortunately, the video did not specify exactly what program was running on the Steam Deck, but this is not the first time Valve’s handheld has been used to control robots. A few years ago, fans spotted Disney staff using a Steam Deck to control animatronics at the Galaxy’s Edge theme park.
Given the open nature of Valve’s hardware, the Steam Deck is likely already being used for a variety of purposes we aren’t yet aware of. The Steam Machine and Steam Frame will likely follow a similar path in the future. Since these devices all run Linux and do not restrict users from installing other programs or even changing the operating system, it is only natural that they would be used for tasks beyond gaming.
When IGN previously interviewed Valve engineers Pierre-Loup Griffais and Yazan Aldehayyat about the Steam Machine, they showed no objection to this idea. Aldehayyat told IGN: “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that a great PC is also a great gaming device. Ultimately, good hardware is good hardware. So, in many ways, a significant portion of the problems you need to solve are actually the same.”
It will be particularly interesting to see what uses people find for the Steam Frame in the future. Just imagine what scientists could achieve with an open VR headset that also features motion-tracking capabilities. If the Steam Deck can already be used to control a Mars rover, just imagine what the Steam Frame might be capable of.