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Hugging Face Unveils Reachy Mini Desktop Robots for Developers Worldwide
Hugging Face, a prominent leader in artificial intelligence and open-source technology, has officially opened orders for its highly anticipated Reachy Mini desktop robots. Targeted at AI developers and robotics enthusiasts, Reachy Mini is poised to accelerate innovation by offering a flexible and accessible robotics kit for hands-on experimentation and application development.
Two Flexible Models to Suit Every Developer
Building on positive feedback from the tech community, Hugging Face is launching Reachy Mini in two distinct versions. The Reachy Mini Wireless, priced at $449, features wireless capabilities and utilizes the powerful Raspberry Pi 5 mini computer, providing mobility and computing power directly onboard. The more affordable Reachy Mini Lite, available at $299, requires connection to an external computing source but keeps the cost low and entry barriers minimal.
Product Features: Programmable, Modular, and Open Source
Each Reachy Mini comes as a developer-friendly kit designed for customization and assembly. With a footprint comparable to a typical stuffed animal, the robot features endearing design elements like dual screen-based eyes and two antennae, giving it a playful and approachable look for both home and lab settings.
What sets Reachy Mini apart is its full programmability in Python, one of the most popular programming languages in artificial intelligence and robotics. The devices ship with several pre-installed demo applications to inspire users right out of the box. Most notably, Reachy Mini integrates seamlessly with Hugging Face Hub—the company’s open-source machine learning platform—granting users access to more than 1.7 million AI models and 400,000+ datasets for instant experimentation.
Advantages: Empowering Open-Source Robotics
Hugging Face’s commitment to open-source robotics ensures developers have complete autonomy over their hardware and software. Users can modify, extend, and reinvent their Reachy Mini devices, transforming them into specialized tools for AI research, creative robotics projects, or educational purposes. According to CEO Clément Delangue, feedback from early testers—including families who wanted a portable, interactive robot—shaped the dual model offering and highlighted the broader demand for customizable, home-friendly robotics.
"Because Reachy Mini is open source, our users have the power to adapt and build upon it however they choose," Delangue explained. "We want to foster a global community where creativity flourishes, enabling the robotics ecosystem to evolve faster through shared ideas and innovations."
Use Cases and Market Relevance
Reachy Minis are specifically aimed at AI developers, researchers, educators, and makers looking for a hands-on platform to prototype machine learning applications and robotics solutions. From coding interactive behaviors to harnessing advanced AI models from the Hugging Face Hub, the possibilities are virtually limitless. Developers can design and share new applications and features for Reachy Mini, helping build a collaborative, open-source community that continually expands the robot’s capabilities.
This approach answers a growing call for transparency and user control in robotics. Delangue warns against the risks of proprietary, closed-box robots dominating homes and workplaces, where users have little oversight or customization options. By contrast, Hugging Face’s hardware philosophy emphasizes decentralization and user empowerment.
Availability and Shipping Timeline
According to Hugging Face, the Reachy Mini Lite will begin shipping next month, with the wireless version following later this year. The company is committed to getting units into customer hands promptly, avoiding the uncertainty of prolonged pre-order periods.
"Our vision for the future of robotics is open, transparent, and shaped by its global community," Delangue added. "We’re excited to see how developers, educators, and hobbyists worldwide will build, customize, and collaborate on this next generation of desktop robotics."
With the Reachy Mini launch, Hugging Face continues to solidify its reputation as an innovator at the intersection of AI, open-source software, and digital hardware. As the robotics landscape evolves, Reachy Mini stands out as a promising platform to foster creativity, collaboration, and real-world impact for AI and robotics enthusiasts everywhere.
Source: techcrunch
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