Hugging Face, the popular AI developer platform, has made headlines again — but this time in the world of robotics. The company is now selling a programmable, 3D-printable robotic arm called the SO-101, designed to handle basic tasks like picking up and placing objects.

Following the success of their first model, the SO-100, launched last year in partnership with French firm The Robot Studio, Hugging Face has once again teamed up with the same company to create the improved SO-101. Additional collaborators include robotics store WowRobo, IoT hardware supplier Seeed Studio, and parts vendor PartaBot.

What's New with the SO-101?

Compared to the earlier SO-100, the SO-101 offers several notable upgrades.

• Faster assembly process for easier setup.
• Enhanced motors that reduce friction and better support the arm’s weight.
• Camera integration that enables training through reinforcement learning, allowing the arm to "learn" tasks such as sorting Lego blocks into bins.

The starting price for the SO-101 remains at an affordable $100. However, depending on the supplier and factors like U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, final costs can range between $100 and $500, especially for fully assembled versions.

Hugging Face Expands Further into Robotics

The launch of the SO-101 isn't Hugging Face’s only move in the robotics space. The company has recently acquired Pollen Robotics, a French startup, for an undisclosed amount. With this acquisition, Hugging Face plans to market Reachy 2, Pollen's humanoid robot, and open up its codebase for developers to download and contribute improvements. The robotics division, now led by former Tesla Optimus engineer Remi Cadene, is rapidly positioning itself as a major player in the AI-driven robotics market.