Design by former resident could help in coronavirus fight
Former resident helps design ventilator splitter which could help save lives of Covid-19 patients
A former Springs resident is playing his part in the fight against Covid-19.
Now living in New Zealand, engineer Ted Lerios is working closely with a team at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch to improve the capacity of ventilators to help Covid-19 patients.
Lerios and his team have designed a splitter that can be attached to a ventilator which will allow one ventilator to support two patients simultaneously.
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The design also allows the delivery of oxygen to be tailored to different patients’ needs.
The university has described the design as “a simple, low-cost piece of technology that could save the lives of thousands of Covid-19 patients around the world by doubling the capacity of ventilators in hospitals? intensive care units”.
The design will be free for others to use.
“It feels good to know that we have been able to put in work that could positively affect the lives of thousands of people,” said Lerios, who moved to New Zealand in 2015 with his wife, where he received a BA in Engineering and graduated with honours.
He later received a PhD in Biomechanical Engineering at the University of Canterbury, where he started working on the life-saving project.
Lerios has been working tirelessly with fellow PhD student Lui Holder Pearson and professor Geoff Chase at the university to make this design a possibility.
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“It’s a piece of cleverness, so it’s a clever solution to an urgent problem.
“Every time you get to use this there’s an opportunity for a patient to live who would have otherwise died,” said Chase.
Lerios grew up in Springs and attended Dr Johan Jurgens High School and is the second oldest of five siblings.
His father, Mike, explained the family is immensely proud of his achievements.
“He has made us all very proud.
“I always knew he was clever and would go on to achieve great things,” he said.
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