Hugging Face launches $400 AI robot that you can train
What's the story
Hugging Face, a leading artificial intelligence (AI) platform, has unveiled its latest innovation: a bipedal robot called Microduck. The quirky creation takes inspiration from its namesake bird but only has one eye. The company plans to sell it later this year for $400. This is Hugging Face's second robotic offering after the launch of its first one, Reachy Mini, which has logged around 10,000 sales to date.
Developer's playground
Robot can learn new physical skills
Microduck isn't just a cute robot; it's also a platform for both novice and experienced developers.
They can teach the robot new physical skills using reinforcement learning, simulation, and open-source software.
The coding is done through programming languages like Python and JavaScript.
This unique feature makes Microduck an ideal tool for anyone looking to explore the world of robotics and AI development.
Skills
Microduck can roller skate and carry small objects
Microduck was developed by Pollen Robotics, a French company Hugging Face acquired last year. It measures nearly 10 inches and weighs about 770 grams.
In a company demo, the pint-sized robot showcased a range of playful skills: roller-skating across flat surfaces and fetching small items like socks.
Driving these interactions is a robust sensor suite that includes LiDAR, an onboard camera, a microphone, a speaker, and dual NFC readers for accessory pairing, alongside built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
User interaction
Users can walk the robot around or trigger movements remotely
Microduck also comes with built-in behavior that allows it to interact with its environment without custom code.
Users can walk the robot around or trigger movements using a laser pointer or game controller.
Thomas Wolf, co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Hugging Face, emphasized in an interview that they want to show how accessible AI really is.