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The ExoMars rover, a device that will be autonomous when it reaches the Red Planet, is being developed in the UK by Airbus. The rover and its Steam Deck companion made an appearance in a video shared by YouTube personality Tom Scott following a visit to Airbus' facility. And while ExoMars is being tested on Earth, it's hoped that it will eventually be capable of controlling itself when it rolls out onto the Martian terrain.
For now, engineers need a way to control the rover during its development and testing in a Mars-like environment. And for that, Airbus has settled on a Steam Deck.
Watch On The video shows a Steam Deck running unspecified custom software. Just like playing the games Steam Deck owners are familiar with, Scott can be seen using the thumbsticks, triggers, and face buttons as a method for controlling the rover.
While novel, the decision to use a Steam Deck in this way probably shouldn't be all that surprising. It's a handheld PC in every sense of the word — it's powered by Linux and has both physical and touchscreen controls, not to mention Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support. If you're so inclined, you can even install Windows on a Steam Deck , too.
Resourceful gamer shrinks Valve’s Steam Deck into Game Boy, with custom 3D-printed cooling
Stream PS4 & PS5 games on your Steam Deck without a console thanks to Asobi
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Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/handheld-gaming/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/video-games/handheld-gaming/airbus-turned-the-steam-deck-into-a-controller-for-a-prototype-mars-rover-valve-handheld-pc-gives-engineers-command-of-the-exomars-platform-during-testing#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com/membership
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