Google has announced to introduce an earthquake alert system to Android devices. Google will create an Android phone powered by an earthquake alert system around the world. The first part of the system is rolled out.
The accelerometer in the Android phone will be one data point for an algorithm which is designed to detect the earthquakes. However, the system will send warnings automatically to the people who can be affected by the earthquake.
Google to introduce earthquake detection alerts
If the Android device detects an earthquake, it will send a signal to Google’s earthquake detection server with a location. Then the server will combine the information which it got from Android devices and will figure it out that the earthquake is happening.
In a blog post, the software engineer Marc Stogaitis said,
“Installing a ground network of seismometers, as California has done, may not be feasible in all impacted areas around the world. So we’re using the reach of Android’s platform to help detect earthquakes … this means your Android phone can be a mini seismometer, joining millions of other Android phones out there to form the world’s largest earthquake detection network.”
For this new feature, Google is doing a partnership with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).
The ShakeAlert system of the state will generate alerts. It uses the signals from more than 700 seismometers which are installed across the country by USGS, Cal OES, University of California Berkeley and California Institute of Technology to detect the earthquakes.
With this, Google is also planning to share data about the areas which are affected by earthquakes on Google search.
Stogaitis said,
“When you look up ‘earthquake’ or ‘earthquake near me’, you’ll find relevant results for your area, along with helpful resources on what to do after an earthquake.”
Google said, in coming years, it is planning to bring the earthquake alert system to other countries also.
Last Month, Korean telco SK telecom announced about planning to build an earthquake detection system. The system required 8,000 sensors installed nationwide to get earthquake data to be shared with the authorities.
