20,000 Preorders Placed for Small Robotic Ducks

For consumers hoping to add a new device to their holiday shopping lists, a recent demonstration of small, waddling robotic ducks has resulted in a significant number of reservations. Reports indicate that preorders for these devices have surpassed 20,000 units. According to information provided by Hugging Face’s Clem Delangue, this volume of orders was reached within a single day following a public demonstration of the technology.

The robots in question, identified as Microducks, were featured during a keynote address at the GTC Berlin conference held earlier this week. During the presentation, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang demonstrated the capabilities of the units. The devices were observed stomping, sitting, and executing somersaults upon receiving voice commands. The demonstration also included a programmed sequence where the units would fall over to simulate a nap. The units emit sounds described as similar to those made by R2-D2.

Delangue has indicated that the units are scheduled to be delivered in time for Christmas. He has also stated his belief that the Microducks might become the best-selling robot of the year. This assessment includes purchases made by adults, as promotional materials associated with the product depict adults interacting with the devices, suggesting the product is not marketed exclusively toward children.

The Microducks are open source devices manufactured by Pollen Robotics. Pollen Robotics was acquired by Hugging Face in 2025. The subsequent acquisition of Hugging Face by Nvidia, which occurred in September, has resulted in Pollen Robotics becoming a subsidiary of Nvidia. This collaboration follows a previous release by Hugging Face involving a robot called Reachy Mini.

The development of the Microducks involved the use of Nvidia’s technology stack. During the training process, simulations were utilized to teach the units basic physical behaviors, including walking, sitting, and standing. These specific actions are included with the devices upon shipping. Pollen has stated that users are able to train the robots to perform new tasks. Once trained, these new tricks can be shared with the broader community.

While the viral nature of the demonstration and the subsequent preorder volume are established facts, specific inquiries regarding production capacity and final retail pricing have not been addressed in current reports. Furthermore, while the devices are described as open source, the specific terms regarding the modification and distribution of shared community tricks are not detailed in the provided information. The relationship between the developer, Pollen Robotics, and its parent company, Nvidia, regarding the distribution of future hardware remains a matter of corporate structure following the recent acquisition of Hugging Face.