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On Mon, 9 Sep 2024 18:52:24 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:
Ukraine is fielding machine-gun turrets remotely controlled by the Steam
Deck video game system made for playing Halo
Business Insider
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/ukraine-is-fielding-machine-gun-turrets-remotely-controlled-by-the-steam-deck-video-game-system-made-for-playing-halo/ar-AA1qgIrv?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=6f8d8289dd614154a5cd711960320a3f&ei=91
Ukraine is using Steam Decks to control remote turret guns on the
battlefield.
Steam Deck is a popular platform used for playing video games.
A video shared online shows the device in action.
Ukraine appears to be using a very popular video game system for an
unusual purpose: remotely controlling gun turrets.
It seems a good use of the hardware. The SteamDeck comes with built-in controllers, a good screen, a reasonably powerful processor, and
internet connectivity. You can install Linux on it, it is more
portable (and easier to pull out and start using) than a laptop, and
is fairly robust. Oh, and it's easily available and reasonably
inexpensive, as opposed to something purpose built for the task.
But it's actually not that uncommon for militaries to use gaming
hardware. Gamepads are increasingly used as the interface for their
various bits of kit, from bomb-disposal robots to drone aircraft to submarines. Sometimes they are legitimate off-the-shelf game console controllers! And why not? There's been a lot of research and
development into making the devices comfortable to use in a variety of situations, from racing games to flight sims to shooters. Plus, thanks
to five decades of video-gaming, pretty much everybody of age in the
military knows how to use one.
The surprise isn't that Ukraine is using a SteamDeck. The surprise is
that more militaries aren't. I suspect as handheld gaming PCs become
more common (e.g., the ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion) we'll see them
integrated into all sorts of industries, just because they are such a convenient form factor.
That said, the first thing that came to mind when reading the article
was: didn't they have something similar in the movie "Aliens"? I
recall they controlled the things with some sort of chunky hand-held
device with a screen showing what the robot was shooting at. Or maybe
it was some other sci-fi movie. But the _concept_ isn't really that
unique, even if the hardware itself is only now getting down to
commodity levels.
On Mon, 9 Sep 2024 18:52:24 -0700, Dimensional Traveler
<dtravel@sonic.net> wrote:
Ukraine is fielding machine-gun turrets remotely controlled by the Steam >>Deck video game system made for playing Halo
Business Insider
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/ukraine-is-fielding-machine-gun-turrets-remotely-controlled-by-the-steam-deck-video-game-system-made-for-playing-halo/ar-AA1qgIrv?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=6f8d8289dd614154a5cd711960320a3f&ei=91
Ukraine is using Steam Decks to control remote turret guns on the >>battlefield.
Steam Deck is a popular platform used for playing video games.
A video shared online shows the device in action.
Ukraine appears to be using a very popular video game system for an
unusual purpose: remotely controlling gun turrets.
It seems a good use of the hardware. The SteamDeck comes with built-in >controllers, a good screen, a reasonably powerful processor, and
internet connectivity. You can install Linux on it, it is more
portable (and easier to pull out and start using) than a laptop, and
is fairly robust. Oh, and it's easily available and reasonably
inexpensive, as opposed to something purpose built for the task.
But it's actually not that uncommon for militaries to use gaming
hardware. Gamepads are increasingly used as the interface for their
various bits of kit, from bomb-disposal robots to drone aircraft to >submarines. Sometimes they are legitimate off-the-shelf game console >controllers! And why not? There's been a lot of research and
development into making the devices comfortable to use in a variety of >situations, from racing games to flight sims to shooters. Plus, thanks
to five decades of video-gaming, pretty much everybody of age in the
military knows how to use one.
The surprise isn't that Ukraine is using a SteamDeck. The surprise is
that more militaries aren't. I suspect as handheld gaming PCs become
more common (e.g., the ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion) we'll see them
integrated into all sorts of industries, just because they are such a >convenient form factor.
That said, the first thing that came to mind when reading the article
was: didn't they have something similar in the movie "Aliens"? I
recall they controlled the things with some sort of chunky hand-held
device with a screen showing what the robot was shooting at. Or maybe
it was some other sci-fi movie. But the _concept_ isn't really that
unique, even if the hardware itself is only now getting down to
commodity levels.