Modder rigs his Steam Deck with spikes and an automated taser to stop family members from borrowing it

WTF?! How do you stop family members from borrowing electronic devices and not recharging them when they're done? One Redditor was sick of this happening with his Steam Deck, so he created a security system attached to the portable PC that includes a taser and a spiked case.

ConroyyJenkinss wrote on the Steam Deck subreddit that he'd had enough of family members leaving his Steam Deck battery flat after using it. His response was an effective, if slightly extreme, response.

The Redditor started by modelling a spike-covered case in Blender and then 3D printing it. Once attached, it ensures that the Steam Deck cannot be held comfortably.

Not content with having spikes digging into his family's hands, ConroyyJenkinss rigged a Raspberry Pi with a small speaker to the Steam Deck, along with an object-detection camera and a servo motor. He then wrote a Python script that caused the speaker to play a "goofy" audio clip if someone walked in the camera's field of view.

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That alone might not have been enough to deter determined handheld gaming fans, but a few seconds after the audio plays, the servo triggers a clipped-on taser to scare them off.

ConroyyJenkinss did emphasize that the security system is designed to frighten anyone who wants to use his Steam Deck, rather than actually tasering what must be some very understanding family members. It works, too: he says they are now forced to ask for permission before using the handheld.

The project obviously raises a few questions, the first being how ConroyyJenkinss gets past the security system when he wants to game. Sadly, it does involve having to remove the case, taser, etc. He admits it's a hassle, but he insists it's worth the time and effort.

Another obvious question is why didn't ConroyyJenkinss simply hide his Steam Deck somewhere safe. He said doing so was just too risky as his family are good at hide-and-seek. He could have also used a password or even a locked case, of course, but even those could have drawbacks.

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