Hugging Face, the startup greatest recognized for the AI developer platform of the identical title, is promoting a programmable, 3D-printable robotic arm that may choose up and place objects and carry out just a few different primary chores.
Called the SO-101, the arm is the follow-up to Hugging Face’s earlier robotic arm, the SO-100, launched final yr. The firm’s robotics division, LeRobot, partnered with French robotics agency The Robot Studio to debut the SO-100 for round $100 in October.
Hugging Face teamed up with The Robot Studio as soon as once more for the SO-101, in addition to with robotics retailer WowRobo, Connected Devices {hardware} provider Seeed Studio, and robotics half vendor PartaBot.
Compared to the SO-100, the SO-101, which additionally begins at $100, is quicker to assemble and options improved motors that scale back friction whereas permitting the arm to maintain its personal weight. The camera-equipped arm could be educated by way of an AI method known as reinforcement studying, which permits it to “study” to carry out duties like selecting up a Lego block and inserting it in a bin.
Super excited to introduce SO-101 immediately from @huggingface, in collaboration with @therobotstudio, Wowrobo, Seeedstudio & Partabot.
Building on high of the insanely profitable SO-100 (the preferred robotic arms ever?), SO-101 are the primary robotic arms any AI builder can buy.… pic.twitter.com/Y3IHskmiGb
— clem 🤗 (@ClementDelangue) April 28, 2025
To be clear, $100 is the bottom worth for the SO-101. Thanks to premiums on absolutely assembled models and U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, costs vary from $100 to round $500, relying on the provider.
Hugging Face is significantly increasing its robotics efforts, not too long ago buying Pollen Robotics, a robotics startup primarily based in France, for an undisclosed quantity. Led by former Tesla Optimus engineer Remi Cadene, Hugging Face’s robotics wing plans to promote Pollen’s humanoid robotic, Reachy 2, and let builders obtain and recommend enhancements to its code.
