A free Android app has been released by UC Berkeley team of scientists that taps a smartphone’s ability to record ground shaking from an earthquake.
Dubbed “MyShake”, the app is available only on the Google Play Store and consumes little power. As of now, the app can only collect information from the accelerometers, analyse, and relays that information, together with the phone’s GPS coordinates to the Berkeley Seismological Laboratory for analysis.
Richard Allen, the leader of the project said: “MyShake cannot replace traditional seismic networks like those run by the U.S. 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.”
Other earthquake apps are also in development, with one that warns users of earthquake-prone areas. Called “ShakeAlert”, the app is currently undergoing testing in California, Oregon and Washington.
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Source: Berkeley News
