Microduck Robot Available for $399 Preorder, but Only the Software Will Be Open
Pollen Robotics has opened preorders for the 25-centimeter bipedal Microduck robot. For $399, it offers a platform for experiments with motion control, but only its software stack is intended to be open.
Microduck robot from Pollen Robotics has been available for preorder since August 27, 2026, at an introductory price of $399 before taxes and shipping. The 25-centimeter-tall bipedal robot is intended to serve as a more affordable platform for experiments with motion, simulation and machine learning in robotics.
The manufacturer is targeting initial deliveries before Christmas 2026. However, this plan does not represent a guaranteed shipping date. Pollen Robotics has been part of Hugging Face since April 2025, when Hugging Face announced its acquisition.
Microduck robot has an open software stack
Its key feature is intended to be an open software stack, including an SDK, simulation and reinforcement-learning tools. Developers should be able to train control policies in a simulated environment and then transfer them to the physical robot.
When describing openness, however, it is important to distinguish between software and hardware. Pollen Robotics explicitly states that the mechanical and electronic design files will not be open. Microduck therefore cannot be described as a fully open-source robot or as open-source hardware.
The specific source-code license has also not been confirmed. In its verified materials, the manufacturer does not state that the software uses the Apache-2.0 license. The scope of the available code, documentation and licensing terms will be particularly important before shipping begins.
15 motors, sensors and local control
According to the manufacturer’s information, the robot has 15 motors, a camera, LiDAR and two inertial measurement units (IMUs). The local control loop is intended to operate at a frequency of 50 Hz. The basic equipment is also intended to include seven pre-trained movements.
This combination is intended to enable practical experiments with learning motion without requiring users to design an entire robotic platform themselves. Simulation is especially important because it allows training scenarios to be repeated without the risk of immediately damaging the physical device. Actual usefulness, however, will be determined by the quality of the SDK, simulator, documentation and transfer of learned policies from simulation to the real machine.
Some specifications are not final yet
Microduck is currently a preorder product, and the manufacturer is still finalizing some of its specifications. Details that remain unspecified include the camera’s parameters, LiDAR range, wireless-interface versions, programming languages supported by the SDK and the recommended age.
The declared movement capabilities, stability and approximately one-hour battery life on the production product have also not been independently verified. The preorder price makes Microduck an unusually accessible physical platform for robotics experiments, but prospective buyers should bear in mind that neither deliveries nor final features have yet been confirmed in practice.
The next important steps will be the release of the code and documentation, the announcement of a specific license and the first independent tests. These will show whether the Microduck robot meets its delivery target before Christmas and how usable its development environment will be beyond the manufacturer’s demonstrations.
Sources
- Pollen Robotics — Microduck press kit – Confirms the price, preorders, delivery target, specifications, preliminary nature of some specifications, and that only the software stack—not the hardware—is open.
- Pollen Robotics — Microduck – Confirms the basic features, 15 motors, 25 cm height, sensors, 50 Hz local control and policy-training tools.
- Hugging Face — Pollen Robotics acquisition – Confirms that Pollen Robotics became part of Hugging Face in April 2025.
- The Verge — Hugging Face’s new robot is an adorable rollerskating duck – Independently corroborates the preorder announcement, price and planned shipping date.
Verified and updated: 08/27/2026 17:19
