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Set up Reachy Mini as a talking desk companion: media published by Hugging Face × Pollen — Reachy Mini blog
Set up Reachy Mini as a talking desk companion: media published by Hugging Face × Pollen — Reachy Mini blogCredit: Hugging Face × Pollen — Reachy Mini blog
Set up Reachy Mini as a talking desk companion: media published by Hugging Face × Pollen — Reachy Mini blog (image 2)

Set up Reachy Mini as a talking desk companion

Humanoid, Easy

Reachy Mini from Pollen Robotics and Hugging Face is an open-source expressive desk robot (moving head, antennas, camera, mics) you program in Python and extend with apps from the Hub.

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Reachy Mini comes as a Wireless version, a Lite version that plugs into your computer, or a free simulation. Its Python SDK drives head pose and antennas, and apps install from Hugging Face Spaces. It's one of the most-posted robots on X this month.

Hardware & cost: Reachy Mini Lite is $399 and the Wireless is $499 at hf.co/reachy-mini. If you want it to drive around the room, add Pollen's $149 Hoverboard wheel base. It fits the Wireless only, so a driving Reachy Mini is $648 before shipping (prices checked on pollen-robotics.com/reachy-mini, Oct 30, 2026). You can start in simulation for $0.

Difficulty: Easy.

Agent install prompt (paste into Claude Code, Cursor or Codex): "Clone https://github.com/pollen-robotics/reachy_mini, install the SDK per the README (simulation mode if I don't have the robot), and write a script that makes the head look left, right, then wiggle the antennas."

Source: pollen-robotics/reachy_mini on GitHub — https://github.com/pollen-robotics/reachy_mini (facts checked against the project README, Oct 2026; prices vary by region).

Quick answers

What do you need to set up Reachy Mini as a talking desk companion?
Reachy Mini Lite is $399 and the Wireless is $499 at hf.co/reachy-mini. If you want it to drive around the room, add Pollen's $149 Hoverboard wheel base. It fits the Wireless only, so a driving Reachy Mini is $648 before shipping (prices checked on pollen-robotics.com/reachy-mini, Oct 30, 2026). You can start in simulation for $0.
How hard is it to set up Reachy Mini as a talking desk companion?
Easy.

How your agent drives it

Copied from the pollen-robotics/reachy_mini README

  1. Paste into your agent
    I'd like to create a Reachy Mini app. Start by reading https://github.com/pollen-robotics/reachy_mini/blob/main/AGENTS.md
  2. Python
    from reachy_mini import ReachyMini
from reachy_mini.utils import create_head_pose

with ReachyMini() as mini:
    # Look up and tilt head
    mini.goto_target(
        head=create_head_pose(z=10, roll=15, degrees=True, mm=True),
        duration=1.0
    )

Any coding agent that can run a shell can run these. Read the README before you run anything on a robot that moves.

Ideas to try with it

Our ideas, not the builder's claims.

  1. Have it look up and wiggle its antennas when a build finishes
  2. Read your calendar out loud at 8am and nod at each meeting
  3. Turn toward whoever is speaking on a video call
1 more idea
  1. Publish a small app to the Hugging Face Hub for other owners
Source
pollen-robotics/reachy_mini on GitHub
Last commit
2026-11-03
Builder
pollen-robotics
Repo
pollen-robotics/reachy_mini, 1,634 stars
Built with
Reachy Mini

Reachy Mini, 3 builds: Set up Reachy Mini as a talking desk companion · Give Reachy Mini a real-time voice and personality · Make Reachy Mini move with emotion in real time

Parts notes for this device are in the Hermes Workshop catalog.

What to build next

Builds that share a board, robot or agent with this one.