Make Your Smartphone an Earthquake Detector

Seismologist and app developers recently joined hands and created a new app that transformed smartphones into personal earthquake detectors. The app is known as MyShake and it facilitates people to learn about the earthquakes. This app is available on the Google Play Store and runs in the background with little power.Britt Wilson the Rancho Mirage Emergency Service Coordinator and the App’s developers said that the goal of the app isn’t to scare people, but to alert people to stay aware and prepared.

Make Your Smartphone an Earthquake Detector

How it Works:

The app mainly works with the help of Accelerometers. It measures forces related to acceleration including vibration, tilt, movement and static force of gravity’s pull. In smartphones, accelerometers detect changes which allows phone to sense them. The phone tests every motion to see if it fits the profile of an earthquake. If the algorithm decides that the movement is an earthquake move. It immediately sends basic information to UC Berkeley covering the time and amplitude of the shaking. The location of earthquake is measured by GPS.

One of the app developer said that;

“We want to make this a killer app, where you put it on your phone and allow us use your accelerometer, and we will deliver earthquake early warning,”

The app was initially available for Android users only but the app developer assured that iphone users can soon install the app and can use it for detecting the earth quake. Thanks to UC Berkeley scientists for releasing the app free of cost.