NVIDIA’s tiny robots steal the show with somersaults, stumbles and funny falls

Four robots, roughly 10 inches tall, walked onto Nvidia’s GTC Berlin stage on Wednesday evening, then sat, tumbled, and attempted somersaults. The demonstration introduced Microduck, a small biped developed by Pollen Robotics.

Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang guided the robots through several commands, showing how machines weighing less than two pounds each could move and respond during a live presentation.

Their performance included successful rolls, missed instructions, and recoveries after falling.

The demonstration also highlighted the computing behind those movements. According to Huang, the robots were trained in the cloud using large Nvidia systems, with their movements refined inside an Omniverse digital twin running on an RTX Spark machine.

Walking, tumbling, and getting back up

The four Microducks initially walked out on their own. Huang greeted them, asked them to sit, and then instructed them to stand again.

A request to take a nap produced a less orderly response. Three robots promptly tipped onto the floor, while the fourth continued walking for a few more steps before falling onto its side.

Huang laughed and encouraged the machines to get back up before asking them to somersault. A couple completed the movement, while others remained in place or needed further encouragement.

One robot wandered farther away, tripped, and righted itself. Huang then called it back: “Pay attention. Stay focused. Come here.”

The Microduck eventually approached and sat down, drawing more laughter from the audience. The sequence showed both the movements the robots could perform and the uneven responses that accompanied their live appearance.

Fifteen motors and an articulated beak

Each Microduck contains 15 motors distributed across its legs, neck, and head. Its onboard equipment also includes a front camera, a depth sensor, and two small inertial measurement units.

An articulated beak gives the robot another function beyond walking and posing: it can pick up relatively light objects from the ground.

The robot can walk, sit, and crouch, and it can recover after falls. Attaching wheels also allows it to roller-skate.

The stage demonstration focused on several of these physical abilities, particularly walking, sitting, rolling, and returning upright. Although some commands produced immediate responses, others required repeated encouragement. Huang also used the appearance to discuss Europe’s history of producing precision-engineered products, pointing to the Microducks as an example.

Initial batch sells out before deliveries

Microduck was initially offered at $399 before taxes and shipping, but that purchasing window has already closed, with the robots sold out. First shipments are expected to arrive by Christmas in North America and Europe. The available colors are Cream, Graphite, Lavender, and Sky.

The four robots appeared together during the presentation, giving the audience a look at multiple units responding to the same instructions. Their differing reactions became a recurring feature of the demonstration. Some sat or rolled when asked, while others paused, wandered, or fell.

Together, those moments put the small robots’ movement capabilities on display, alongside the occasional stumble that came with performing them live onstage.

Source: https://interestingengineering.com/ai-robotics/microduck-robots-in-nvidia-demo