Hey there, tech enthusiasts! Today we’re diving into an exciting leap in robotics that won’t break the bank.

Hugging Face, renowned for its AI platform, has launched a tiny but mighty robotic arm named SO-101. This clever device can pick up objects, perform simple chores, and learn tasks through reinforcement learning.

Unlike its predecessor, the SO-100, the new SO-101 arrives ready faster and features better motors that handle friction more smoothly, even when holding its own weight. Best of all, it’s priced at just $100, making robotics more accessible than ever.

The team collaborated with several partners, including French firm The Robot Studio, Wowrobo, Seeedstudio, and Partabot, to bring this project to life. The robotic arm is designed for easy assembly and can be trained via AI to perform tasks like stacking Lego blocks or placing items precisely.

Hugging Face is not stopping there; it recently acquired Pollen Robotics to further its robotics ambitions. Its goal is to develop and sell humanoid robots, encouraging developers to tweak and improve the code—pushing innovation forward in the DIY robotics world.