Robotic Retail: 20,000 Microducks Pre-ordered After GTC Debut

Twenty thousand units were pre-ordered for the Microduck robot within just one day of its public debut, signaling a rapid surge in consumer interest for the device. This figure was reported by Clem Delangue of Hugging Face following a viral video from earlier this week. The footage showed Nvidia Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang interacting with a flock of these small robots during his keynote address at the GTC Berlin conference.

The viral clip captured the robots performing a variety of synchronized actions, including waddling, sitting, and executing summersaults upon voice command. The devices also featured a programmed behavior where they would fall over to simulate a nap, accompanied by small, beeping sounds reminiscent of classic science fiction droids. The combination of their physical movements and auditory cues appears to have driven the immediate spike in preorders.

The Microducks are expected to be delivered to customers in time for the upcoming holiday season. Delangue suggested that the device could become the best-selling robot of the year, noting that the target demographic may extend beyond children. Promotional materials released alongside the launch have explicitly featured adults engaging with the robots, indicating a broader market appeal for the product.

The manufacturing and intellectual property rights for the Microducks currently sit within Nvidia’s corporate structure. The robots are open-source devices originally produced by Pollen Robotics. Pollen Robotics was acquired by Hugging Face in 2025. Subsequently, Nvidia purchased Hugging Face in September of this year, integrating the robotics division into the GPU giant’s portfolio. This marks the second robot developed by the Hugging Face team, following the previously released Reachy Mini.

The technical capabilities of the Microducks rely on Nvidia’s internal technology stack. During the development phase, simulations of the robots were used to teach them fundamental behaviors such as walking, sitting, and standing. These basic tricks are pre-installed when the devices ship. Pollen Robotics has stated that owners will have the ability to train their specific units on new maneuvers and share these custom configurations with the broader user community.

The launch of the Microducks provides a contrasting narrative in a tech sector that has recently faced scrutiny over the role of artificial intelligence in cyberattacks. While industry leaders have been addressing concerns about AI-driven security threats this week, the Microduck demonstration offers a lighter, consumer-facing perspective. The immediate commercial response suggests that the market is eager for accessible, interactive robotic hardware.