Since his inception in 1948, Sparky the Sun Devil has gone through many different designs and iterations.
But the Arizona State University mascot's newest enhancement may be right around the corner.
The Ignite Sparky Design Challenge will award funding to an individual or group from the ASU community to provide some spark to Sparky and help him jump back into action in fall of 2021. The idea isn't to redesign Sparky, but find a way to use technology to enhance him when he returns full-time to public action next year.
According to Dr. Brent Sebold, challenge director and ASU professor, Sparky has spent the pandemic “hunkered down” in his “secret lair,” working to improve himself.