Just 5 days after opening up orders on its Reachy Mini robots, AI designer platform Hugging Face states it has actually logged $1 million worth of sales.
Thats not a bad start for a business thats simply recently broadened into robotics, and is mainly known for letting designers download open source AI designs off the internet.On this episode of Equity, Hugging Face co-founder and chief researcher Thomas Wolf breaks down where he sees the business robotics going.
While other startups tackling robotics for the home such as Figure and 1X want their robotics to offload some of your tasks, Hugging Face sees the Reachy Mini as more of a hackable, entertainment device.The gadget is little enough to fit on your desk, and has 2 misshapen eyes with electronic cameras behind them, along with microphones, speakers, a head that bobs around, and a set of antennas for robot ears.
Its developed to come with some predetermined apps, but also lets individuals construct their own apps that can run locally through open source software.Eventually, Hugging Face would like to develop out a network of apps for Reachy Mini.
Wolf even described the Reachy Mini as a bit like an empty iPhone, hinting at how massive he believes this market is.The Reachy Mini has actually gone somewhat viral since launch, mainly thanks to its friendly and open design, but likewise its fairly accessible cost point that lets customers try an AI-powered robot this year.
Wolf states thats an essential part to this launch making something people want to see on their desk everyday, and can actually manage.
Wolf explains the Reachy Mini as an entry point for getting customers to be comfy with robotics in their home, and earning their trust.
We entered into more of that on the show.I was at first doubtful of the Reachy Mini, however Ive began to come around to it.
I think Wolf and Hugging Faces vision for the AI gadget appears enjoyable, and appears like a fantastic way for kids or individuals brand-new to open source software to learn about the area.
Wolf likewise states hes interested to see if people will vibe code apps for their robotics, an idea Im captivated by and slightly scared of.At other points on the program, Wolf takes listeners inside Hugging Faces acquisition of the French robotics startup Pollen, and his insistence on establishing a robotic at a low price point.
Wolf also believes that open source AI will play a comparable function in robotics as it has in software, and hes trying to place Hugging Face to capture that interest.Later in the episode, we likewise get into: How Hugging Face prepares to leap from software application to hardware.Hugging Faces aspirations to one day offer a full-sized humanoid robot.The role of privacy in consumer robotics, and how open source can attend to it.Equity is A Technology NewsRooms flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Wednesday and Friday.Subscribe to us onApple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotifyand all the casts.
You also can follow Equity onX and Threads, at @EquityPod.