The unusual use of Valve's console was demonstrated by popularizer Tom Scott, who visited Airbus factories in the UK. There, a prototype of the machine is being tested at a proving ground simulating the surface of the Red Planet.
The future rover must perform a significant part of its tasks autonomously, as real-time control is impossible due to the enormous distance between Earth and Mars. During development, engineers have to control the machine locally.
First, Scott showed controlling the prototype with a regular laptop, and then received a Steam Deck with special software. Control was primarily done using the console's built-in buttons and analog sticks. Details of the program are not disclosed.
This is not the first time Steam Deck has been used outside of gaming: previously, Valve's device was used to control droids in the Galaxy's Edge area at Disney parks. The ability to install custom software is provided by its open architecture and Linux.