This Robot Hoverboard Adds Phone-Controlled Wheels to Your Desktop Companion

Giving a desktop robot wheels is a bold decision for anyone who already loses the TV remote. Giving that same robot a pirate hat feels like inviting the problem to develop a management style. Pollen Robotics is doing both with its Reachy Mini Hoverboard and NFC accessory pack, turning a small robotic companion into something that can roll around and change characters with a wardrobe adjustment.

The centerpiece is the Reachy Mini Hoverboard, a compact mobile base for the Reachy Mini Wireless robot. Despite the name, it stays firmly on the ground. Two motorized wheels provide the movement, while your phone provides the controls. There is no levitation involved, which is probably good news for the lamps.

This is an accessory for an existing robotics platform, so the little white robot pictured riding it is a separate purchase. Think of the base as buying your robot its first vehicle. Fortunately, it has skipped the phase involving questionable bumper stickers and asking to borrow your car.

A desktop companion gets permission to roam

The setup is straightforward in concept: place the compatible robot on the base and secure it using the locking mechanism. That physical connection matters. A robot perched loosely on a moving platform would be less of a companion and more of a very expensive balancing exercise.

With the Reachy Mini App, you can control the wheels and the robot’s head using dual joysticks. Live camera feedback gives you a view from the robot as you drive. That makes the experience closer to piloting a small character through your surroundings than watching a stationary gadget nod politely beside your keyboard.

There is something inherently entertaining about a machine with a face getting its own means of transportation. On a desk, it looks like it is waiting for instructions. On wheels, it looks like it has somewhere to be. Whether that destination is three feet away or simply a better angle on your slippers is between you and the joysticks.

The base combines its own battery and electronics with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and USB-C connectivity. Pollen lists soft tires and built-in anti-tip supports, including support while powered off. Those are useful design details for a platform whose whole job is carrying another piece of equipment around.

The compatibility detail to read before buying

The hoverboard works with Reachy Mini Wireless only. It does not work with Reachy Mini Lite. This is the sort of detail that deserves more attention than the adorable face, even though the adorable face is putting in a strong performance.

Wireless has onboard computing, while Lite relies on a connected computer. The accessory pack discussed below supports both versions, but the wheeled base does not. If you already own a Reachy Mini, check which version you have before planning its grand tour of the room.

Use the hoverboard with Reachy Mini Wireless.
Secure the robot with the base’s locking mechanism.
Drive the wheels and move the head through the phone app.
Use live camera feedback while controlling the robot.
Remember that the robot itself is sold separately.

For buyers comparing the two accessories, the distinction is simple: one changes where the robot can go, while the other changes how you interact with it. You can be interested in the hats without needing the wheels, and you can want the wheels without having strong opinions about miniature royal headwear.

Accessory	Main purpose	Compatible robots
Hoverboard	Add app-controlled movement	Reachy Mini Wireless
NFC accessory pack	Recognize hats and trigger interactions	Reachy Mini Lite and Wireless

A personality switch you can put on its head

The separate accessory pack takes a wonderfully physical approach to changing a robot’s behavior. Instead of making every interaction begin with another trip through a menu, it uses magnetic hats with NFC tags. Put an accessory on the robot’s head and the system can recognize it.

The supplied hats are a pirate hat, a chef hat, and a crown. This is an impressive career range for something that does not have to update a resume. It can look ready to command a ship, supervise dinner, or issue decrees about the state of your desk.

The NFC recognition can switch personalities in the conversation app or serve as a starting point for custom apps and interactions. The distinction matters: the hat is a recognizable input, and software determines what happens next. A chef hat does not give the robot cooking skills. Dinner remains your department.

The pack includes an NFC upgrade module with magnets, a circuit board, and a reader. It fits inside the robot’s head with four screws and no glue. There are also extra NFC tags and magnets for people who would rather create their own accessories than stop at the supplied trio.

That hands-on element is part of the appeal. A tiny costume can become a way to explore how physical objects trigger software behavior. You have something you can pick up, attach, remove, and understand without reducing the entire interaction to a button on a screen.

For people who enjoy the tinkering

Reachy Mini is a platform for learning, creative coding, and experimentation. These accessories fit that spirit. The hoverboard adds a new physical capability, and the hats offer a playful input system. Neither should be mistaken for a promise that a robot will quietly take over your household chores.

In fact, the appeal is almost the opposite of buying an appliance and forgetting about it. This is the sort of setup you want to interact with, try things on, and show someone else. A toaster has never needed a pirate identity, but a programmable robot can make that idea surprisingly reasonable.

The base’s anti-tip supports are welcome, though they are not an invitation to treat every environment as a stunt course. Start with a sensible, clear area and learn the controls. The fun is in getting a small robot moving, not discovering how much chaos can fit between a chair leg and a charging cable.

It also pays to distinguish the product images from a final delivered accessory. Pollen says the hat designs are still being finalized and may differ slightly from the pictures. If a particular tiny silhouette is the deciding factor in your purchase, keep that qualification in mind.

Price, preorder timing, and the separate robot

The manufacturer’s European storefront lists the hoverboard at €135 and the accessory pack at €30. Regional pricing and checkout charges may differ. Both listings expect the first orders to dispatch at the end of January 2027, so these are preorders rather than an immediate robot wardrobe delivery.

Product images: Pollen Robotics.

Two-wheeled hoverboard with an integrated battery and electronics.
App controls for movement and the robot’s head, with camera feedback.
Hoverboard requires the Wireless version; robot sold separately.
NFC pack supports Lite and Wireless, with three magnetic hats.
Extra tags and magnets support custom accessory ideas.
First orders expected to dispatch at the end of January 2027.

For an existing Reachy Mini owner, this is a chance to give a familiar little machine a different kind of presence. It can become a mobile experiment, a character with interchangeable hats, or both. Your desk companion is branching out. Hopefully it remembers who paid for the wheels.

Pros	Cons
Adds controlled movement to Reachy Mini	Hoverboard does not support Lite
Live camera feedback and head controls	Compatible robot costs extra
Physical NFC hats make interaction playful	Module installation requires opening the head
Extra tags support custom ideas	Custom behavior requires additional work
Anti-tip supports built into the base	Preorder dispatch is expected in January 2027