Georgia Tech Students Invited to “Quack-a-Thon” to Innovate the Next Generation of My Special Aflac Duck®

Georgia Tech students are invited to take part in the upcoming Quack-a-Thon — a hands-on design challenge where creativity and technology come together to help children facing serious illness. Sponsored by Aflac, the event will have participants team up to create and pitch rough prototypes for new features or accessories for My Special Aflac Duck, the award-winning interactive companion that helps children ages three and up with cancer and sickle cell disease prepare for medical procedures, express their feelings and find comfort during treatment.

The Quack-a-Thon isn’t just about competition — it’s about compassion, collaboration and using design to make a tangible difference in children’s lives. 

Developed by Aflac and Empath Labs, My Special Aflac Duck is more than a toy — it’s a therapeutic tool that blends robotics and emotional support. The soft, cuddly duck helps children navigate the hospital and treatment experience through play and imagination. The Quack-a-Thon gives Georgia Tech students the chance to elevate this meaningful companion, applying their skills in engineering, design, robotics and user experience to make the next generation of the duck. Your involvement presents an opportunity to impact the lives of children facing serious health challenges.

Students will present their concepts to a panel of judges from Georgia Tech and Aflac, competing for prizes of up to $500. Winning ideas will also be reviewed by Aflac and Georgia Tech for potential inclusion in future updates to My Special Aflac Duck. 

The Quack-a-Thon is part of a broader collaboration between Aflac and Georgia Tech, led by the Georgia Tech Pediatric Innovation Network, and is open to all students at Georgia Tech. After the October event, a Georgia Tech review team will help Aflac narrow down the top ideas to explore further.

Learn more at instagram.com/quackathon.gt and sign up to participate.