My Special Aflac Duck, which helps kids fight cancer, makes list of 50 top inventions

Nov. 26--A high-tech robot called "My Special Aflac Duck," which helps bring peace and comfort to children suffering from cancer, has received recognition from a national publication.

The animatronic creature, designed by a company called Sproutel, has been chosen as one of the "50 Best Inventions for 2018" by TIME magazine. It also was a major hit at a U.S. Consumer Electronics Show upon its debut earlier this year.

"Many kids diagnosed with cancer say the hardest part is feeling as if they've lost control over their lives," TIME wrote in its synopsis of My Special Aflac Duck. "Among its many features: A companion IV set that allows kids to 'treat' the duck with chemotherapy so they can see how the process works, and 'emoji cards' that, when tapped against the duck's chest, prompt it to act out feelings the child is too scared or confused to express to doctors."

The kicker with My Special Aflac Duck is that Columbus-based supplemental insurance firm Aflac had it developed and is providing it at no charge to children between the ages of 3 and 13 who are diagnosed with cancer across the U.S.

The company said it already has pumped millions of dollars into the invention, which costs $200 apiece, with the firm planning to invest a minimum of $3 million each year into the social robot effort.

"Recognition from TIME magazine is the ultimate validation of the power of doing 'good' in the community," Aflac Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Dan Amos said in a statement. "It has been our goal to help children and families who are facing a terrible diagnosis cope with the treatments during their cancer journey. Our hope is that someday children won't need My Special Aflac Duck, but until childhood cancer is cured, Aflac and our duck will be there."

Other inventions on the TIME list -- which run the gamut of consumer and health uses --include on-demand eyes for the blind, a wheelchair that empowers its users, a simpler way to apply makeup, a sleep coach for babies, giving workers a virtual hand, a Wi-Fi router that knows no bounds, a treatment for migraines, blankets that ease anxiety, a smarter sports bra, roofing that fights smog pollution, lifesaving delivery drones, a TV that blends into the wall, and toys that evolve with your baby.

For nearly a quarter of a century, Aflac, which does business in the U.S. and Japan, has made treating and finding a cure for childhood cancer a focal point of its philanthropic efforts. Since 1995, the company has given more than $128 million to the cause, which includes more than $500,000 donated monthly from independent agents licensed to sell its policies.

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