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Hugging Face’s Microduck Robot Sells 10,000 Units At $399

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 1, 2026

A Viral Robot Success Story With Global Roots

A fast-selling new personal robot from Hugging Face’s French subsidiary Pollen Robotics is offering a clear reminder that even the most futuristic products still depend on deeply interconnected global supply chains. The colorful, duck-shaped Microduck is powered by a chip from Shanghai-listed Rockchip, which in turn uses technology licensed from British semiconductor company ARM.

Since its launch on Thursday, the robot has sold more than 10,000 units, according to the company, generating more than $4 million in revenue at a $399 price point. Strong demand has already pushed delivery timelines beyond the original Christmas 2026 estimate.

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Why The Chip Inside Matters

Microduck’s hardware includes sensors, motors and on-device computing capabilities powered by Rockchip’s RK3566 processor. The chip reflects the layered nature of today’s hardware ecosystem: product design may originate in Europe or the United States, but key enabling technologies often come from Asia and the U.K.

Rockchip is a significant supplier for edge AI applications, according to Lian Jye Su, chief analyst at Omdia. Its chips are widely used in machine vision tasks such as object detection and image recognition. But Su said the company’s products are not built for the most demanding edge AI workloads because they lack the necessary compute resources.

That distinction matters as companies race to bring generative AI closer to the device itself. On-device computing can allow smartphones, robots and other electronics to run AI features more securely, without transmitting sensitive data to the cloud.

Rockchip’s Growth Reflects Rising Demand

The market opportunity is already visible in Rockchip’s financial results. Last month, the company reported a 40% year-over-year increase in operating revenue for the first half of the year to 2.88 billion yuan, or about $428 million. Net profit excluding one-time items rose by more than 60%.

In other words, the same industrial logic that supports smartphones and embedded systems is now extending into consumer robotics, where compact, efficient chips are becoming a competitive advantage.

A Consumer Product And A Development Platform

At 1.76 pounds, Microduck is positioned as both a toy and a development platform. Built on open-source software, it is designed to learn from virtual simulations and goal-directed instructions, making it attractive not only to consumers but also to developers experimenting with robotics applications.

The product is Hugging Face and Pollen Robotics’ second robot release. Pollen Robotics, which Hugging Face acquired last year, said its first robot sold more than 10,000 units after launching last spring.

Competitive Pressure Is Building

Microduck arrives amid a broader rush to commercialize personal robots at premium consumer price points. Startup Zeroth recently launched a child-sized humanoid robot for 8,888 yuan that claims similar simulation-learning capabilities and has recorded 247 pre-orders on JD.com in China. The company plans to unveil its open-source robotics system on Wednesday.

Elsewhere, Mondo Robotics’ Wall-E-style cameraman robot has attracted more than 80 times its initial $50,000 goal on Kickstarter ahead of the Sept. 6 deadline. Early-bird pricing starts at $549, with shipping expected to begin in October.

What The Surge Signals For Robotics

Microduck’s rapid sellout underscores a broader shift in consumer robotics: demand is no longer limited to industrial labs or enterprise pilots. Buyers are increasingly willing to pay for robots that combine personality, utility and developer-friendly software.

For now, the lesson is simple. The next wave of AI-enabled hardware may look delightfully localized, but under the hood it remains a global business.

The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties

Cyprus Could Tighten Short-Term Rental Rules Under New EU Housing Framework

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 1, 2026

Cyprus could gain a stronger legal basis to restrict Airbnb-style rentals in areas facing housing pressure, but any measures would need evidence showing where that pressure exists and how short-term rentals contribute to it.

The European Commission’s forthcoming Affordable Housing Act is still being drafted and would not impose an EU-wide cap or ban. Instead, it would allow authorities to identify “areas of housing stress” using public data and introduce proportionate measures, including restrictions on short-term lets, alongside policies to increase housing supply.

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Cyprus’ Short-Term Rental Market Is Growing

Eurostat data shows Cyprus recorded 7.64 million guest nights booked through Airbnb, Booking and Expedia in 2025, up 24.7% from 2024. During the first quarter of 2026, platform guest nights exceeded one million, a 22.3% year-on-year increase and the EU’s fourth-fastest growth rate.

Guest-night figures measure demand rather than the number of homes used for short-term rentals, so they do not show how many properties may have left the long-term rental market.

Registration Gaps Remain

A July Audit Office report said 8,464 licensed self-service accommodation units were registered as of May 6. That compares with 492,931 housing units in the 2021 census, although the figures are not directly comparable.

An audit of 20 online listings found only six with valid licences matching state records. Ten had no registration number, while four displayed invalid or mismatched numbers. A separate review of 150 listings in Famagusta found 23 properties absent from the relevant registers.

The samples cannot establish the scale of illegal rentals nationwide, but they indicate gaps in registration and enforcement.

EU Framework Focuses On Data

Regulation 2024/1028, effective since May 20, creates a common EU framework for collecting data from hosts and platforms. Platforms can be required to display registration numbers, conduct checks and provide authorities with data on stays, nights booked and individual properties.

The regulation does not impose rental limits. It is intended to give authorities evidence for deciding whether further restrictions are justified.

Property Prices Have Other Drivers

Cyprus residential property prices rose 7.5% year on year in the first quarter of 2026, according to the Central Bank of Cyprus. Apartment prices increased 10.8%, while house prices rose 3%.

The central bank attributed the increase primarily to foreign demand, followed by domestic demand and higher construction costs. It did not identify short-term rentals as the main cause.

The European Commission’s housing assessment found short-term rental activity across the EU increased 93% between 2018 and 2024. While listings account for an estimated 1.2% of total housing stock, their share can reach 20% in some tourist centers and neighborhoods.

The Commission said high concentrations of short-term rentals do not automatically cause housing shortages or higher prices, although they can add pressure where supply is already constrained.

Local Evidence Will Shape Any Restrictions

A 2020 EU court ruling found that a shortage of long-term rental housing can justify prior-authorisation rules for short-term lets if measures are necessary, nondiscriminatory and proportionate. Airbnb has supported better data sharing while calling for targeted rather than blanket restrictions.

For Cyprus, any case for tighter rules will therefore depend on neighborhood-level evidence linking short-term rentals to local housing pressure. In 2024, 2.4% of Cyprus residents faced housing-cost overburden, compared with 8.2% across the EU, according to Eurostat.