Microduck Robot Preorders Surge
A viral moment involving Nvidia's CEO has led to a rapid increase in orders for a new open-source robot.
By Jayden Sweiler ·
Preorders for a new robot called Microduck have surpassed 20,000 units following a viral video of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang interacting with the devices during a keynote address. The significant number of orders was reported by Clem Delangue of Hugging Face.
The video, which gained widespread attention earlier this week, featured a flock of the small robots at Nvidia's GTC Berlin conference. The devices were shown performing a series of actions, including walking, sitting, and falling over for a simulated nap. They also executed a somersault in response to voice commands. The robots are designed to make small sounds while moving.
Hugging Face's Clem Delangue stated in a public message that preorders for the devices had passed the 20,000 mark. Deliveries for the units are scheduled to arrive in time for the Christmas holiday. Delangue also suggested that the Microduck could become the best-selling robot of the year, noting that promotional materials feature adults using the product, indicating a potential market beyond children.
The Microduck is an open-source device manufactured by Pollen Robotics. Pollen Robotics was acquired by Hugging Face in 2025. This acquisition came before Nvidia purchased Hugging Face in September of this year, making the company part of Nvidia's portfolio. The Microduck is the second robot released by Hugging Face, following a previous model named Reachy Mini.
The development of the Microduck's capabilities utilized Nvidia's technology stack. Simulations of the robots were used to train them on fundamental actions such as walking, sitting, and standing, which are pre-installed on the units. The manufacturer, Pollen, has stated that owners can train their own devices to perform new tricks, which can then be shared with the wider community.
The widespread interest in the Microduck follows a week of intense scrutiny on the artificial intelligence industry, where AI was implicated in a series of cyberattacks. The popularity of the robots indicates that consumer interest in AI-driven products remains strong. The scheduled delivery for the holiday season positions the device to be a prominent item in the coming months.
Source: TechCrunch
