Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Gadget ‘can detect Covid-19 in the air’
Kent firm claims machine can help virus fight
A machine that can mimic human lungs could help to halt the spread of coronavirus, Kent scientists claim. Canterbury company ANCON Medical says its invention, called Aero Select, is able to collect particles and droplets carrying coronavirus through the air. The aerosol firm, which is based in the Innovation Centre in University Road, believes the device could be used in busy train stations and on planes to monitor levels of the infectious disease.
CEO Wesley Baker said: “Major transport hubs servings thousands of people a day – especially in towns and cities – are likely seeing significant particles emitted into the air which contain the coronavirus, further exacerbating the rate of spread. “Sampling the air in these places would give a good indication as to what impact this is having on transmission rates. “If we can see the concentration of particles carrying coronavirus in the air, it would allow policy-makers to come to more informed decisions on when and where to implement mask-wearing protocols.
“This is something we are keen to help facilitate.” Mr Baker says the company has advised the British government and Ministry of Defence in recent months.
When used in conjunction with Covid-19 testing, the device is said to be able to prove the presence of the deadly illness in a room, vehicle, aircraft or ship. As a result, ANCON states that the machine could contribute to research surrounding the transmission of the disease. “Our technology can effectively model the human lung and, in conjunction with testing, could show the presence of airborne coronavirus,” Mr Baker added.
“If in future these kinds of devices could be installed in public transport or planes, for example, it may be easier to track and halt the spread of infectious diseases at source. “Moving forward we are looking to work with local councils to help implement sampling to better understand places of high-risk of transmission.” Despite this, Mr Baker says the firm has not carried out any field tests using the Aero Select – but insists that its ability to help trace coronavirus is proved by research using other machines, not made by ANCON.
‘Our technology can effectively model the human lung’