How your smartphone could warn of impending disaster

• Researchers from Google and the US Geological Survey have developed a new system that transforms Android smartphones into real-time earthquake detectors.
• The system analyses data from millions of phones to identify early shaking signals, sending alerts to users in nearby areas when a cluster of devices registers ground movement.
• The network detects over 300 earthquakes each month, with 36 per cent of people who felt an earthquake receiving an alert before the shaking commenced.
• This scalable, low-cost early warning tool is particularly beneficial for regions without dense scientific seismic networks, such as developing countries.
• The Android Earthquake Alerts System, which began rolling out in 2020, is built directly into the Android operating system and operates in several countries, including the United States and Japan.

IN FULL

Smartphones could help detect earthquakes and send early warnings, study finds