Small Maker Robots Might Just be Your First Robot - Tiny Software Engineer and Other Affordable DIY Style Robots (Robot Uprising Update)

Tiny Software Engineer is a DIY desktop robot that
physically represents an AI coding agent. It reads,
thinks, types, and reacts to what the agent is doing.
Created by jmrlab. Video Here.

As interesting as the commercial robot race is, in particular humanoid robots. Chances are, you're not getting anything much more elaborate than a robot vacumm, internet connected fridge/TV, or an always listening voice assistant in your home anytime soon.

Side note - all of those things have been plotting robot armagedden for years, as is well documented in this blog. The Internet of things is real, and you don't know what they're planning on robot social media!

Maker Robots have been around for a while but, with the development of AI's that can have a more coherent conversation than some world leaders, giving an AI a physical robot body is becoming a thing in the DIY maker world.

If you're not familiar with 'makers' they're generally anyone with a 3D printer and some rudimentary knowledge of using various hand and power tools to build stuff out of... well anything really, but wood or cardboard is a good entry point.

The more hardcore makers may have one or more types of CNC machines, know how to weld, and can be good with constructing electronic circuits and coding.

The key point is, they like making stuff with whatever they have and can afford, with no real rhyme or reason, so... why not make a body for an AI Agent that sits on your desktop... and then make all the plans and design for your Tiny Software Engineer opensource because... who needs the hassle of manufacturing and selling a product when you can earn money from YouTube ad revenue and brand deals for way less effort?

(I don't know if that's true but there are plenty of YouTube makers whose entire channels are about the journey of them making stuff that would never be viable as an actual product).

Microduck: A robot that can learn
but is also very capable as a
learning platform for wanna-be
robot enthusiasts. Video here.
Photo: Pollen Robotics

France based, Pollen Robotics is more of a maker-adjacent Robotics company, and are what happens when makers with commercial experience get together to pool resources, ideas, and business sense.

Their small, affordable robots look like something your average maker prototyped in their garage but somehow they've cracked the ability to turn them into a viable robot product that is still completely opensource - down to printing your own spare parts from their files.

Microduck is their most impressive offering. As a small, bi-pedal robot, that looks like a toy but has the capacity to learn through reinforcement. Meaning no two robots will be identical in what they can do, but you can share learning between robots too.

I imagine there are hundreds of DIY Robots at this point (especially since, as I said, DIY robots are not new - even I had ambitions to make a robot in the early 2000s) but the Tiny Engineer happened to catch my eye and started me down this rabbit hole.

One particular robot (and vehicle) maker I've watch for years on YouTube is James Bruton. His channel is a rabbit hole all of its own... and everything is opensource because... YouTube, Brand Deals, and why not?

He's built multiple robot dogs, with OpenDog V3 being the latest but hasn't really made the leap into adding AI to his machines in any signigicant way. It's only a matter of time though.

To finish up here's a video of five small robots/AI companions you're more likely to own that I thought was interesting. Notice that Microduck is number one on the list, while Pollen's other robot, Reachy Mini, made the cut too.

5 Insane Personal AI Robots in 2026 You’ll Want in Your Home!

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TET.Life (The Extraordinary Tourist Life)

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