Reachy Mini is a compact, open-source desktop robot created by Pollen Robotics and now developed by Hugging Face. Designed for educators, developers, and hobbyists, it offers an accessible way to explore artificial intelligence and robotics in a hands-on, customizable format.
The robot measures about 28 centimeters in height and weighs 1.5 kilograms. It comes in two models. The Mini Lite version, priced at $299, requires an external computer to operate. The Mini Wireless version, priced at $449, includes a Raspberry Pi 5, built-in battery, and Wi-Fi connectivity. Both models feature a motorized head, expressive antennas, a wide-angle camera, speakers, and multiple microphones for real-time interaction.
Reachy Mini is fully programmable in Python, with future support planned for JavaScript and Scratch. It allows users to run models from the Hugging Face Hub, simulate robotic actions before deploying them, and contribute to a growing library of behaviors and applications. Its open-source ecosystem includes hardware designs, software, and a development kit, enabling complete transparency and community collaboration.
Reachy Mini is ideal for learning and prototyping in fields such as computer vision, voice interaction, and embodied AI. It supports direct interaction with users and demonstrates how language models can be applied beyond the screen. With its open design and growing community support, Reachy Mini is considered a significant step toward making robotics and artificial intelligence more accessible.
Vocabulary:
• desktop (noun): small personal computer
• hobbyists (noun): people with creative hobbies
• customizable (adj): able to be modified
• priced (adj): having a set cost
• wireless (adj): without physical cables
• hardware (noun): physical computer parts
• software (noun): programs for computers
• growing (adj): increasing in size
Source: Pollen Robotics and Hugging Face