【Watch Anne with an E Season 1 Online】

The Watch Anne with an E Season 1 OnlineAflac duck is being put to work in a new role: comforting children with cancer.

Officially called My Special Aflac Duck, the animatronic duck is the product of a year and research and development by Sproutel, a startup that makes health-focused toys. The goal of the duck is to provide children going through chemotherapy -- often a long and grueling process -- with a toy that will not only be a source of comfort, but will help them cope with treatment.

SEE ALSO: 7 tech trends that will rule CES 2018

The soft duck has its own chemotherapy port and other accessories specially designed to resonate with young children going through cancer treatments. An accompanying app uses augmented reality to let kids act out feeding and bathing the toy, so that they can take on the role of a caregiver.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

The company says it can also help young kids better express their feelings during treatment. Cards with RFID chips and emoji allow you to change the duck's "mood" from happy to sad to silly to nauseous or sad or angry. The duck body language, sound effects, and facial expressions change to match the corresponding moods.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Even though it's the Aflac duck, a corporate mascot known for a loud and somewhat annoying voice, Sproutel CEO Aaron Horowitz says their version only makes quiet soothing sounds. It can also help kids control their breathing through guided breathing sessions.

Each duck costs about $200 to produce, but Aflac says it's partnering with hospitals so patients and their families don't have to pay for the toy. The company say it hopes to distribute as many as 10,000 ducks over the next year, though it hasn't yet detailed specific availability.

---

Featured Video For You

---

An injured puppy wore a 3D printed exoskeleton to stabilize her skull

---

Topics CES

• Tech
• Social Good
• Shopping
• Deals
• Entertainment
• Games
• Life
• Science

• DDR4 Memory at 4000 MT/s, Does It Make a Difference?
• The Action of Love: A Conversation with Charif Shanahan by Morgan Parker
• A Letter from Henry Miller by Henry Miller
• Rear Window, Los Feliz by Claudia Ross
• Tennessee vs. UCLA 2025 livestream: How to watch March Madness for free
• Michael Bazzett, Dobby Gibson, and Sophie Haigney Recommend by The Paris Review
• A Coiled Spring by Mary Gaitskill
• Trump nominee pledges to shield NOAA climate scientists from intimidation, censorship
• Amazon Prime Grubhub deal: Save $10 off orders of $20 or more
• I Could Not Believe It: The 1979 Teenage Diaries of Sean DeLear by Sean DeLear and Brontez Purnell

• Trump's cabinet meeting was a lot like the opening of 'King Lear'
• We shot Portrait mode video with this iPhone app
• Egypt considers banning parents from giving their kids foreign names like Mark or Sam
• Tesla launches 'S3XY' short shorts, breaks its website
• How to donate clothes ethically
• VirZoom's mobile sensor uses Gear VR to turn normal bikes into VR workout machines
• TikTok will exit Hong Kong amidst controversial national security laws
• Motorola's cheap 5G phone will be coming to the U.S. this fall
• 'The Hobbit' is getting a new audio book edition read by Andy Serkis
• A copy of Super Mario Bros. for the original Nintendo just sold for a record $114,000

• Hidden Siri Commands and Unusual Responses
• Making of a Poem: Michael Bazzett on “Autobiography of a Poet” by Michael Bazzett
• Hauntingly beautiful images emerge from deadly ice storms
• On Anzia Yezierska’s Bread Givers by Deborah Feldman
• What cracked the Milky Way's giant cosmic bone? Scientists think they know.
• Mapping Africatown: Albert Murray and his Hometown by Nick Tabor and Kern M. Jackson
• For Black History Month, TikTok honors creators and announces new grant partnership
• The Badlands Twitter account is the ultimate climate rebel
• Best grocery deal: Spend $20 and get $5 off at Amazon
• Game 6 by Rachel B. Glaser

• Q&A with tendercare founder and CEO Shauna Sweeney
• 'The Greatest Night in Pop' review: Netflix music doc favors fun facts over depth
• Will Taylor Swift attend the Super Bowl? What we know.
• Best Roborock deal: Save 43% on the Roborock Q5+ robot vacuum
• Mac Mini M2 Desktop deal: Save $100 at Best Buy
• 6 easy ways to be more sustainable (that you still refuse to do)
• Fun Factory anti
• On Paper: An Interview with Thomas Demand by Olivia Kan
• NYT Strands hints, answers for April 26
• SpaceX's most recent rocket landing looks so sci