Microduck Robot Preorders Cross 20,000 After GTC Berlin Demo

Nvidia CEO Demonstrates Open-Source Microduck Robots at GTC Berlin Keynote

Preorders for the open-source Microduck robot crossed 20,000 units by the day after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang showcased the device on stage. The hardware platform stomped its feet, emitted R2-D2 style audio cues, sat down, performed a simulated “nap,” and executed a somersault on voice command during the GTC Berlin keynotes.

Acquisitions Shape Hardware Lineage from Pollen Robotics to Nvidia

The engineering lineage of the Microduck connects multiple corporate milestones. Pollen Robotics originally produced the open-source device before Hugging Face acquired the company. Nvidia then purchased Hugging Face in September, bringing the robotic line under the GPU manufacturer’s umbrella. This hardware release represents Hugging Face’s second robotic offering, following the Reachy Mini platform.

Technical training for the Microduck relied on Nvidia’s software stack. Developers utilized simulation environments to train the robot’s foundational movement routines, including walking, standing, and sitting, prior to hardware flashing. Pollen Robotics confirmed that device owners retain the capability to train new behaviors and push custom routines back to the community.

Market Response Contrast with Consumer Electronics Vulnerabilities

While the Microduck achieved immediate commercial traction with over 20,000 units ordered for Christmas delivery, other conversational companion robots faced intense scrutiny regarding data exposure. Reporting detailed security flaws in the Eiliko robot toy, where researchers discovered that conversation transcripts could be read by unauthorized parties despite marketing claims that user secrets were secure. The maker of the Eiliko device announced it is hiring an independent security firm to audit its infrastructure following the findings.

In contrast to the security post-mortem surrounding networked consumer toys, the Microduck rollout serves as a demonstration of simulation-to-real reinforcement learning pipelines executing smoothly on edge hardware. Clem Delangue of Hugging Face noted via social media that the device could emerge as the top-selling robot of the year, pointing to promotional video footage featuring adult users alongside traditional holiday consumer demographics.

Disclaimer: The technical analyses and security protocols detailed in this article are for informational purposes only. Always consult with certified IT and cybersecurity professionals before altering enterprise networks or handling sensitive data.