Scientists have developed an application that converts smartphones into a worldwide seismic network which could notify the users of the coming jolts of earthquake caused nearby.

With the help of a smartphone’s accelerometer, the motion detection tool called MyShake which helps in recording ground shake from an earthquake.

New Android App Helps In Detecting Earthquake

MyShake app might surely help you in the future. Once the software is known to be reliable, it could give early warnings to nearby areas and even give a countdown in helping to find safe area in time. Also, there are plans for an iOS app too. The system is effective for the number of people using it, but could also prove to be safe saving tool.

The leader of the app project, Richard Allen said “MyShake cannot replace traditional seismic networks like those run by the US Geological Survey, UC Berkeley, the University of Washington and Caltech, but we think MyShake can make earthquake early warning faster and more accurate in areas that have a traditional seismic network, and can provide life-saving early warning in countries that have no seismic network,”

Allen said when the MyShake app in smartphones detects an earthquake, it quickly gives an alert to a central processing site. A network detection algorithm is activated for incoming data from various phones in the same area, to declare an earthquake, recognize its location and  determine its  magnitude. Allen also said that the app will only collect and transmit source to the central processor.

According to Allen, iPhone version of the app will be also included in future. He said for seismologists, it will help them in collecting more and more data about earthquakes.

A large data pool means better understanding of earthquake, that could help professionals to determine early warnings systems and safety protocols, things which are mostly censorious in urban areas prone to earthquakes. According to an Ericsson Mobility Report released in 2015, presently there are about 2.6 billion smartphones across the world and expected to reach 6 billion by 2020, a global network of portable seismic detectors could go a long way forward keeping people safe by improving earthquake preparation and response.

So, this app might be useful to those users residing in areas which are prone to earthquakes and this app will help them to take safety measures.

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