Even programmers have fun in the holiday season, but for many it is not so much a labor of love as a time when you show off your company or technological achievements - yes it's the Xmas Video time of year.

First up proves that not all company promos have to be boring. OK, there is bit of oversell towards the end, but forgive them because the beginning is good. Warning - turn on English subtitles unless you speak Danish:

Now we have a confession - this was last year's robot video from the Danish Technological Institute, but in our defense it has only had 4000 views so far. The good news is that Storm is now five years old and still wants robots: 

It is a shame that both videos are spoiled by the heavy handed PR towards the end - the message would have been as clear without. Personally I think this year's is the better. 

Not all technological advances are theoretical. This one looks as if it could have a ready market, if it could be packaged and refined a little. The solution to having to send all those cards:

Most programmers wouldn't think hardware and would just organize a small database of email address, a procedural graphics generator and an email client. 

And finally if "kilobots" don't sound xmasy then you probably don't know that they are tiny robots built to investigate swarm behavior and algorithms. The control programs don't have any knowledge of the overall configuration and each robot just moves to satisfy its constraint. Notice the slightly lost robot that doesn't quite get to its position, until it eventually does:

Until next year then... or until another video turns up...

More Information

Danish Technological Institute

http://diode.group.shef.ac.uk/kilobots/

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