A fresh free app could create an quake other warning organisation meg of smartphones strong The goal would be to advance the efforts ofmore than 80 countriesthat rely on only 150 seismal stations to detect pregnant ground shakes .
The appMyShake , create by scientists at the University of California , Berkeley , uses built - in accelerometers in smartphones to record temblor as they happen . Running continually in the background knowledge while consuming only minimum power , MyShake detects shaking day or night , and if the vibrations jibe the profile of an earthquake , the MyShake app relay the information — along with GPS co-ordinate — to the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory in California .
The design , say scientist , is to crowdsource earthquake detective work , enable early warnings of impending danger . People in quake - prone area already bend toTwitterand other societal media electrical outlet to report tremors as they happen , but MyShake report rattling direct to seismologists , who can then put out alarm ASAP via social media to people in involve areas .
According toa research articlepublished in Science Advances by the app ’s inventor , " earthquake other monition provide seconds to minute of arc of warning , allowing people to move to secure zone and automated slowdown and closing of transit and other machinery . "
The outcome already have been promising . The Android version of MyShake , released in an English version in February 2016 , has been downloaded tophonesand installed by more than170,000 user . In its first three months of public use , the app ’s internet read earthquakes as far - roll as Argentina , Chile , Japan , New Zealand and Oklahoma in the United States .
" In my opinion , this is cut - edge research that will transubstantiate seismology , " UC Berkeley alum pupil Qingkai Kong , who develop the app ’s algorithm , saidin a press waiver . " The station we have for traditional seismology are not that dense , especially in some regions around the world , but using smartphones with downcast - toll sensors will give us a really good , dense internet in the future tense . "
A Japanese - language version of the Android app was released this preceding weekend . UC Berkeley plans to roll out Spanish and Taiwanese version presently , as well as an iPhone - compatible app .
