Who needs to force their children into the competitive world of athletics when they can watch robotic soccer players and cheerleaders? During a display at the Robotic Althletic Meet 2007, many of them tripped up and collided, but could get back up for the most part. Ken Senoh, professor at the University of Tokyo, claims that bots are still in their infancy, but feels that they will eventually surpass humans the way that computers have done.

Sony AIBO robots also took part in the demo, as well as other bots and their owners. One woman commented that she wouldn’t let her “son play in a game like that.” At the time, she was referring to her robotic pet.