Maker source notesGuide updated
Replica image 21b: first boot and SSH checks
The author fixes fresh-card startup and adds your own SSH key. Full motion acceptance remains unfinished, even though GitHub’s prerelease flag is false.
Source reviewed
MicroDuck updates. Useful next steps.
Follow software changes, compare DIY routes and find instructions with original sources and clear verification limits.
Maker source notesGuide updated
Before another reflash, check the boot path.
KISS adds a targeted Armbian check and guarded backup/restore. Keep it separate from image replacement, Wi-Fi interference and power-load diagnosis.
Source reviewed
Official release notesGuide updated
Official 0.17.8: what changes after an upgrade?
Review 0.17.7/8 source notes, the computer-audio path and what to check when an update or first connection behaves differently.
Source reviewed
More recent updates
Substantive guide updates first, including new steps added to older articles.
MicroDuck 0.17.6: Update Lookup Fix and Recovery Checks
Understand the October 17 updater fixes, diagnose metadata-size errors and inspect an exact-version dry run before a deliberate daemon upgrade.
Open Duck Mini v2 DIY: From Parts to Your First Walk
Follow an eight-stage Open Duck Mini v2 build route covering parts, printing, servo IDs, assembly, wiring, Raspberry Pi setup, calibration and first walk.
Open Duck Mini v2 Parts Plan: Components and Budget Example
Use a filled six-component Open Duck Mini v2 parts plan, author-listed EUR prices, printing quantities and a checklist for the remaining costs.
MicroDuck Simulator: First Walk and Public Move Loading
Walk in the official MicroDuck browser simulator, load a public policy by URL, check manifest compatibility and restore the built-in move.
MicroDuck 0.17.4: Vet Book, Two Pads and Beta Identity
Upgrade from 0.17.2 with the October 15 stable releases; inspect the local vet book, claim separate UDP pads and rediscover Beta boards safely.
What would you like to do first?
01 / TRY IT
Make your first walk.
Current keys, a short exercise and loading help.
Open the guide →02 / RUN IT
Prepare one training run.
A pinned setup, CUDA check and small first run.
Open the guide →03 / FIX IT
Find the failing step.
Controller input, loading, dependencies, GPU discovery and policy errors.
Open the guide →01 / OFFICIAL UPDATES
Know what changed.
19OCT 2026
SoftwarePollen Robotics
MicroDuck 0.17.8: Laptop Sound and Provisioning Checks
Choose where UDP pad sounds play, diagnose an older robot or missing laptop audio, and understand the provisioning retry fix carried from 0.17.7.
Official releases Oct 19 · Reviewed Oct 20, 2026
17OCT 2026
SoftwarePollen Robotics
MicroDuck 0.17.6: Update Lookup Fix and Recovery Checks
Understand the October 17 updater fixes, diagnose metadata-size errors and inspect an exact-version dry run before a deliberate daemon upgrade.
Official releases and source review Oct 17, 2026
02 / DIY BUILDS
Follow a real maker’s build.
01 / DIY READING
Find a tutorial ↗
English guides, a Chinese course and personal notes.
02 / DIY READINGBuild Open Duck Mini ↗
From parts and servo IDs to calibration and first walk.
03 / DIY READINGReview MicroDuck replicas ↗
See the files, printed parts and remaining work.
04 / DIY READINGKeep your build log ↗
Save the revision, measurements and results.
03 / TECHNICAL NOTES
From question to understanding.
Training / Source reviewed
MicroDuck Local Training: Setup, Checks & First Run
Prepare the official MicroDuck RL environment with a pinned revision, Python 3.12, a CUDA check and a short training run before a longer experiment.
Deployment / Source reviewed
MicroDuck ONNX Export: Checkpoints, Replay & Validation
Export a MicroDuck checkpoint with observation normalization, select the correct playback input layout and inspect a policy package before sharing.
First setup / Official 0.17.2 documentation and client source reviewed; no BLE connection, Wi-Fi change or physical robot test by this site
Connect a MicroDuck: Find It, Join Wi-Fi, Open the Console
On an official MicroDuck, use duckctl from a laptop to distinguish Bluetooth discovery, missing Wi-Fi address and console signalling before changing settings.
Development / Commands checked against official source
MicroDuck Daemon Simulation: Run robotd Without a Robot
Run the real MicroDuck daemons against a MuJoCo body, inspect health and motion with robotctl, measure real-time speed, and understand what this setup cannot test.
Policies / Fixed official manifest and commands checked; no site hardware policy load
MicroDuck Policies: Update v8, Inspect Overrides & Reset
Check the official v8 velstand policy, update the separate policy set, identify persistent walk overrides, and reset one slot safely.
04 / PROJECTS
A closer look at DuckEMW.
Common MicroDuck questions
What is MicroDuck?
MicroDuck is a small biped robot introduced by Pollen Robotics for exploring learned body movements. The official project links its robot software, reinforcement learning framework and browser simulator.
Official MicroDuck introduction →Is this the official MicroDuck website?
MicroDuck Robot Community is an independent technical publication and maker community. It is not affiliated with Pollen Robotics, Hugging Face or emwstudio.
About this community →Where can I start without a physical robot?
Begin with the official browser simulator to explore existing movements. Training new movements is a separate activity with its own software and compute requirements.
MicroDuck simulator guide →Are DuckEMW sprint and dance results hardware tests?
The DuckEMW results discussed here are author-reported simulation experiments. They are not measurements of physical robot performance verified by this site.
DuckEMW project and source record →OFFICIAL HARDWARE FOOTAGE
See the real robot move.
Recovering balance
Real robotA hand pushes the physical MicroDuck; the robot takes corrective steps to regain its balance.
Video: Pollen Robotics ↗Moving on wheels
Real robotA physical MicroDuck with roller attachments travels around a living room.
Video: Pollen Robotics ↗05 / COMMUNITY
Good questions move projects forward.
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