The height of the robot is about 25 centimetres, and it aims to give developers and researchers a low-cost platform for experimenting and developing applications of physical artificial intelligence and robotics. Microduck is “an open source robot that you can teach new tricks using reinforcement learning,” said Clem Delange, the company’s CEO.
The robot is not limited to traditional movement, as it can walk in a duck-like manner, pick up objects using its beak weighing up to 800 grams, in addition to getting up after falling, bending, and even skating using wheeled shoes.
Microduck relies on a set of sensors to interact with the surrounding environment, including a camera and “LiDAR” sensors, in addition to two inertial measurement units (IMU) to monitor the robot’s movement and direction.
The advantage of software openness stands out as one of the most important elements of the project, as developers can train Microduck behaviors within a simulation environment, and then transfer the models directly to the robot. The model can then be fine-tuned, retrained, and deployed back to the device.
The step comes as part of the company’s move towards developing open source robotic devices at lower prices. The company acquired the French company Pollen Robotics in April 2025, before the two companies later launched the “Reachy Mini” office robot.
The two companies currently sell the Reachy Mini for $499, along with the Reachy Mini Lite for $399, while Microduck represents the latest addition to their low-cost, open source robotics portfolio.
With regard to privacy, the robot’s reliance on cameras and sensors raises potential questions when used inside homes and private spaces. Hugging Face believes that open source models give users and developers a greater level of scrutiny and control than closed systems, but openness itself does not guarantee that sensitive data will remain private. Apps installed by users may be able to access cameras and microphones and send data to external services, depending on how those apps are designed.
