Sporting KC: Graham Zusi hosts REX The Robot at All-Star training

By Sam Kovzan

Sporting Kansas City defender Graham Zusi has provided a special, behind-the-scenes look at MLS All-Star Week to one of his biggest fans back home in Kansas City.

One day before taking the field against Spanish giants Atletico Madrid in the 2019 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target, Zusi hosted REX the Robot at MLS All-Star training on Tuesday at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

REX is a remote experience robot consisting of an iPad on a pole with a pair of self-balancing wheels that lets patients at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City experience Major League Soccer in a way that even kids physically attending the games cannot.

This time around, REX was steered by 14-year-old Lymon, a patient at Children’s Mercy who was able to communicate with Zusi and the entire team of MLS All-Stars.

Venturing back to his home state of Florida for All-Star Game festivities, Zusi made sure to bring REX along for the trip. As a result, Lymon had the opportunity to meet Major League Soccer’s best players.

When patients such as Lymon are in control of REX, they’re able to see live video and hear what’s going on around the stadium. From the iPad, they can drive the robot forward or backward, turn left and right, even get taller or shorter to have a better look around.

Read the full story via Sporting Kansas City

Learn more about Rex the Robot