My Special Aflac Duck wins 2018 CES ‘Tech for a Better World’ Award. At CES 2018, Aflac unveiled a “smart” robotic companion for children with cancers. The duck called My Special Aflac Duck is the new high-tech invention that has already been recognized as the winner of the prestigious Tech for a Better World Innovation Award at CES 2018.
This caring companion does reflect Aflac’s history as a pioneer in cancer insurance and the it believes that children need more than medicine to help overcome the disease.
“For 22 years, Aflac, our employees and our independent sales agents have demonstrated a commitment to help families facing childhood cancer, including contributing more than $120 million to this cause,” says Aflac Chairman and CEO Dan Amos. He also adds that they are taking this commitment to a new level, lending their iconic Aflac Duck to this mission in an innovative way like they have never done before. Their goal is to put a “My Special Aflac Duck” in the hands of the up to 16,000 children in the U.S. who are newly diagnosed with cancers every year, without any charges, so that no child has to face cancer alone.
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My Special Aflac Duck, is part of Aflac’s ongoing Aflac Childhood Cancer Campaign that is developed by Sproutel. It features naturalistic movements and joyful play to help distract children encounter with cancer.
With four patents pending alongside a year of child-centered research behind this campaign, My Special Aflac Duck is a smart and comforting companion that helps kids feel less alone by using interactive technology during cancer treatment.
A compatible web-based application makes the children able to mirror their care routines, including medical play, feeding and bathing through AR.
The smart companion does emulate young patients’ moods, endures the painful therapies, and dances, quacks and nuzzles to keep kids comfortable.
Aaron J. Horowitz, CEO and co-founder of Sproutel says, childhood cancer treatment -on average- lasts more than 1,000 days, and they desire something so that they can do something to help alleviate some of the burden. So they designed My Special Aflac Duck to comfort kids through engaging play. They also want to empower children by giving them a friend to help them express their emotions.
Soon this year, Aflac and Sproutel will start delivering the My Special Aflac Duck to children at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for more testing.
