Microduck

Research verdict

A real robotics platform, not a general-purpose home helper.

Microduck is a 25 cm programmable biped from Pollen Robotics. It ships with trained movements and a gamepad, while exposing an open-source software and simulation stack for people who want to build new behaviors.

Price and key facts

What the manufacturer currently documents.

Price, delivery timing, taxes, shipping, and regional availability can change. Verify the current store listing before making a purchase decision.

Capabilities and limits

What can Microduck actually do?

The following behaviors are documented by Pollen Robotics and its official software repository.

1. 01Walk, crouch, sit, kick a ball, and roll with the optional wheel accessories
2. 02Use an articulated beak to grasp small objects
3. 03Recover to a standing position after a fall
4. 04Run trained movement policies onboard at 50 Hz
5. 05Accept gamepad control and developer-created behaviors

Important limitations

• Microduck is in preorder, so broad owner evidence and long-term reliability data are not available yet.
• The launch materials describe a platform for play and physical-AI learning, not a robot that performs general household chores.
• Real-world autonomy, noise, durability, and setup friction remain unscored while stronger owner and hands-on evidence develops.

Software and setup

Playable first, programmable when you are ready.

The official runtime repository is public and documents the robot control loop, updates, Bluetooth control, camera streaming, and sensor services.

Pollen Robotics publishes the simulation and reinforcement-learning training stack so developers can retrain movement policies.

Basic play does not appear to require programming because trained behaviors and a controller are included. Creating new behaviors will require technical work.

Projects worth exploring

• Drive the included walking and recovery behaviors with the gamepad
• Explore the published MuJoCo simulation before changing the real robot
• Train or adapt a movement policy and deploy it through the documented toolchain
• Experiment with the camera, depth sensor, or NFC hardware in a supervised project

Privacy and connectivity

Sensors in the home deserve specific questions.

The published specification lists a camera, microphones, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Those are meaningful privacy considerations in a home device.

The three official sources reviewed for this profile do not answer every question about collection, retention, or remote access. Review the latest manufacturer privacy and account terms before ordering or connecting the robot.

HomeRobotHQ does not treat the presence of an open-source runtime as proof that every connected service or data path is locally controlled.

Alternatives

Compare the role before the specification.