Hugging Face’s new robot is an adorable rollerskating duck

<figure> <img alt="Three Microduck robots kicking a ball around" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Pollen Robotics / Hugging Face" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/microduck-kickabout.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Hugging Face's Pollen Robotics has launched its second cute AI robot, <a href="https://pollen-robotics.com/microduck/blog/introducing-microduck/">the Microduck</a>, a one-eyed biped standing just under 10 inches tall. It's available to preorder now for $399 in cream, graphite, lavender, and sky blue, and Pollen Robotics says it plans to start shipping the little robot "before Christmas 2026." </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://pollen-robotics.com/microduck/">Video demos</a> of the Microduck show it picking up socks and markers, kicking around a ball, and zipping around on tiny rollerskates. Pollen Robotics says it can also "react to its surroundings" and follow around a laser pointer, or users can control it with a game controller. The Microduck's software is open-source, like Hugging Fa …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/985549/hugging-face-microduck-robot">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>