Rumours of the beloved game developer and Steam platform holder Valve getting into the hardware manufacturing game have been swirling for a while, spurred on by several public comments from Valve's Gabe Newell and Mike Abrash relating to "wearable computing" and augmented reality applications; but all of that speak has been qualified as strictly research and development.

However, a recent job listing on the studios website for an Industrial Designer (Thanks CVG) makes it clear that Valve Software are cooking up some hardware, explicitly stating that they're "jumping in".

As an Industrial Designer at Valve, you will join a world-class group of electrical, mechanical, software engineers and designers who are busily defining new entertainment experiences through both hardware and software. We’re hoping to add your expertise in product design and manufacturing, ergonomics, usability, aesthetics, and surfacing to our team.

...Valve is traditionally a software company. Open platforms like the PC and Mac are important to us, as they enable us and our partners to have a robust and direct relationship with customers. We’re frustrated by the lack of innovation in the computer hardware space though, so we’re jumping in. Even basic input, the keyboard and mouse, haven’t really changed in any meaningful way over the years. There’s a real void in the marketplace, and opportunities to create compelling user experiences are being overlooked.

No other hints are offered as to what form the hardware, but earlier rumours of a full Steam-box tailored PC don't seem to fit the bill. We'll have to wait and see.