Nvidia CEO's Microduck Robot Demo Sparks Massive Holiday Preorders
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's viral GTC Berlin demo of Pollen Robotics' open-source Microducks has driven over 20,000 preorders for Christmas delivery.
During the GTC Berlin conference earlier this week, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang showcased a unique demonstration that quickly captured online attention. A video of Huang interacting with a flock of small, waddling robots known as Microducks went viral across social media platforms. The small machines moved across the stage, produced miniature R2-D2 style audio cues, and performed various actions on voice command, including sitting, executing somersaults, and dropping to the floor for simulated naps.
Following the viral presentation, preorders for the devices surged dramatically. Clem Delangue of Hugging Face shared via social media that preorder volumes exceeded 20,000 units by the following day. Current delivery estimates place the arrival of these units in time for the Christmas holiday season, positioning the device as a potential top-selling toy and gadget of the year. Promotional material indicates that the appeal extends beyond children, capturing the interest of adult consumers as well.
Background on the Microduck Project
The Microducks are developed by Pollen Robotics, an enterprise acquired by Hugging Face in 2025. Subsequently, Nvidia acquired Hugging Face in September, bringing the technology under the broader Nvidia corporate umbrella. This release represents the second robotics project from Hugging Face following the introduction of the Reachy Mini.
Development of the Microducks relied heavily on Nvidia’s technology stack. The robots utilized simulated environments to learn foundational movements and tricks—such as walking, sitting, and standing—prior to physical manufacture and shipping. According to Pollen Robotics, owners will have the ability to train the units with new capabilities and share those custom routines with the wider user community.
What it means for developers
For developers working in robotics and machine learning, the Microduck project highlights the practical integration of simulation-to-real workflows using Nvidia's ecosystem and open-source hardware. The ability to train behaviors in simulation and later allow community-driven custom training opens up accessible avenues for experimenting with embodied AI. Developers looking to build applications or test algorithms across multiple foundational models can try top AI models cheaply through one API at https://apixoai.online.
The viral success of the demonstration also serves as a lighthearted counterpoint to recent industry discussions regarding cybersecurity vulnerabilities and AI-related threats, demonstrating that consumer-facing robotics and simulation training can still capture public enthusiasm and drive significant commercial interest.
Source: Hottest toy for Christmas? Nvidia CEO plays with adorable Microduck robots, 20,000 sell — TechCrunch AI. Written by the Apixo team from that report.
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