The French startup Pollen Robotics, which was acquired by Hugging Face in 2025, demonstrated a compact bipedal robot named Microduck. This robot is positioned as an affordable platform intended for educational purposes and conducting various experiments.
Externally, Microduck measures 25 centimeters and weighs less than 800 grams, resembling a duck. Its movement is powered by a system of 15 electric actuators. In addition to one video camera, the robot is equipped with a LiDAR (8x8 ToF matrix), two inertial measurement units installed in the body and head, as well as a microphone and speaker.
Additional features of the robot include a deployable beak. According to information published on the developer's website, Microduck is capable of walking, following a laser pointer, sitting down and standing up independently. It can also use its beak to pick up objects and move on detachable wheels. Although the robot does not have speech capabilities, it emits sounds that imitate those of living organisms.