It's not often that President Obama gets challenged to a soccer game, and that too by a robot, the Associated Press reported.
But that's exactly what ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) did, apart from showing off its running and hopping skills to Obama.
Touring Japan's National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Obama was introduced to a disaster relief robot which is manufactured by Japanese carmaker Honda.
"Welcome to Miraikan, Mr. President, it is a pleasure to meet you," Asimo said in a slightly halting, childlike voice.
Obama appeared delighted by Honda's human-like robot.
"It's nice to meet you, too," Obama said, pausing to watch the robot, named ASIMO, perform during a stop by the Tokyo Miraikan Science Expo.
Asimo announced "I can really run fast" before hopping toward a soccer ball and informing Obama, "I can kick a soccer ball, too."
Since it was first unveiled as an awkward, stumbling toddler 14 years ago, Asimo has grown up. "In its early adolescent years, Honda engineers gave it some advanced motor skills, allowing it to serve breakfast and not slam into people in the halls," NBC News reported.
Obama was at the museum on Thursday to push for increased student exchanges and to talk about the importance of science and technology to both countries.
"The president briefly conversed with Asimo, bowed politely and then watched as the robot gave a soccer ball a solid kick," NBC News reported. "Obama, perhaps in preparation for his post-presidential futbol career, stopped the ball with his foot."
Other robots, including one designed by Japanese technicians and partially financed by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency that was developed to help with disaster response, also got demonstrate their skills in front of the president.
"I have to say that the robots were a little scary, they were too lifelike," he said. "They were amazing."
