Pollen Robotics’ Microduck puts a programmable robot pet on your desk for $399
Pollen Robotics’ $399 Microduck is a roughly 10-inch programmable two-legged robot with 15 motors, a movable beak, and camera, depth, and motion sensors. It ships with a game controller and open-source software for control, simulation, and reinforcement learning, though the hardware design files are not public. New orders are quoted at four to six months, and roller and laser accessories are sold separately.
Microduck appeared alongside Jensen Huang at GTC Berlin on October 21, after preorders opened August 27. Buyers now face a four-to-six-month wait, and the listing no longer promises holiday delivery. The package includes the robot, battery, USB-C cable, and controller; roller and laser demos require a separate add-on.
At roughly ten inches tall, it has 15 motors, a grasping beak, front camera, 8×8 depth sensor, two motion sensors, speaker, and microphones. Its removable NP-F550 battery lasts about an hour. Shell choices are Cream, Graphite, Lavender, and Sky. Software for control, simulation, and reinforcement learning is open, but mechanical and electronic designs are not; local training needs a CUDA GPU, with cloud jobs as an alternative.
Microduck could affect hobbyists, students, and educators by making programmable robotics more approachable at a consumer price, while its age-16 recommendation may limit family use. Its open software but closed hardware may shape how much owners can modify and share designs. Longer waits and extra accessory costs could temper adoption. If such desk robots become common, they may encourage hands-on experimentation with simulation and reinforcement learning, but they are unlikely to replace toys or assistants.