USC, German partner to develop low-cost ventilator

THE UNIVERSITY of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu City and the Max Planck Institute of Chemistry (MPIC) in Mainz, Germany are currently working to develop a low-cost ventilator system for tropical indoor environments to curb further spread of airborne viruses, according to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

DOST Secretary Fortunato de la Peña said the project aims to redesign the low-cost ventilator system, in collaboration with its inventor Dr. Frank Helleis of MPIC, and modify this to fit indoor tropical environments in the Philippines.

The project, he said, is supported by the DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development. “The low-cost ventilator shall then be demonstrated, and hopefully will be used in selected tropical indoor environments, such as classrooms, banks, and government agencies,” he said.

De la Peña said the project team is also considering its use in public transport vehicles, as well as in small manufacturing facilities. “The project team consisting of three USC engineers already left for MPIC, Germany, to study and train,” he said.

The USC engineers will learn the process, design, and engineering behind the low-cost ventilator, and how it could be modified and adjusted to fit the local indoor tropical environment, De la Peña said. (Maria Cristina Arayata)