IEEE Spectrum spotlights 25-cm, 780-gram Microduck robot, priced at $399

IEEE Spectrum on Aug. 28, 2026, featured Microduck, a small robot measuring 25 cm long and weighing 780 grams. The robot has 15 degrees of freedom, a front-facing camera, 8x8 LiDAR, two IMUs, a microphone, a speaker, NFC, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. It has a duck-like appearance and can waddle, recover from falls, roller-skate and pick up objects. Its software is fully open source. The preorder price is $399, with shipments planned before Christmas.

For individual developers and educators interested in experimenting with small robots, Microduck offers the ability to work with walking, fall recovery, grasping, manual control and autonomous operation right after purchase. IEEE Spectrum's report says it has a front-facing camera, distance-measuring and inertial sensors, and short-range wireless connectivity, and that its software is fully open source. The $399 preorder price also provides a concrete starting point for testing control and perception.