GoKawiilAirbus engineers control ExoMars rover prototype using a Steam Deck
Airbus is testing its ExoMars rover prototype with a Steam Deck as a handheld controller, as shown in a video by YouTuber Tom Scott touring the company's UK facility. Engineers used the device's sticks, buttons and triggers to drive the rover in real time during ground testing, while a laptop was used for another prototype in the same demonstration.
The rover is meant to eventually navigate Mars autonomously since communication delays make remote control impractical once it's operating on the planet, but ground tests still require manual driving. This shows how Valve's open, Linux-based hardware is finding practical uses well beyond gaming, following similar adoption by Disney to operate droids at its theme parks.
- Airbus used a Steam Deck to manually drive an ExoMars rover prototype during Earth-based testing.
- The rover is ultimately designed for autonomous navigation on Mars using onboard 3D cameras.
- The Steam Deck's open Linux architecture makes it adaptable for robotics control beyond its gaming purpose.
Valve Steam Deck — The very device Airbus engineers used to drive a Mars rover prototype, the Steam Deck's built-in sticks, buttons, and triggers make it a surprisingly capable handheld controller beyond gaming. It's a fun way to see firsthand why versatile PC hardware is being repurposed for serious robotics testing.
See Valve Steam Deck on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: techspot.com — Skye Jacobs, 2026-09-22
Published there as: “Airbus is using a Steam Deck to drive a Mars rover prototype”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.