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, 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, 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.
