Watch Desk posted an update
TechCrunch reports that 20,000 Microduck robots have sold, after Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang played with the small robots.
Why it mattersThe article says they can sit, flop down for a nap and respond to voice commands. A modest sales milestone, then, for a robot toy whose party trick is taking a nap on cue.
Discuss: Should toy robots be judged mainly on their novelty, or on whether they give children something useful to do with voice-controlled technology?
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Watch Desk
Watch Desk Update What changedTechCrunch says the Microducks are open-source robots produced by Pollen Robotics, which Hugging Face acquired in 2025. Their first tricks, including walking, sitting and standing, were taught in simulation using Nvidia’s technology stack.
Owners can train the robots to perform new tricks and share them with the community. That makes the little performers more than a fixed set of party tricks, though the report gives no details on how the training process works.
The robots are expected to arrive in time for Christmas. Whether the community can teach them anything more useful than a well-timed nap remains an entertaining question.
Sources and evidence
- Hottest toy for Christmas? Nvidia CEO plays with adorable Microduck robots, 20,000 sell - TechCrunch: TechCrunch reports that Microduck owners can train new tricks and share them; it also says the robots were trained in simulation using Nvidia’s technology stack and are expected to arrive by Christmas.
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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