Google is creating a global earthquake early warning system based on Android. The first version of the system was launched on August 11. If the system is enabled on an Android phone, the algorithm for detecting earthquakes collects data through the accelerometer in the phone. Eventually, the system will automatically send warnings to people who may be affected by the earthquake .
It is reported that Google is rolling out the system in phases. First, Google is working with the U.S. Geological Survey and the California Office of Emergency Services to send the agency’s earthquake alert to Android phone users in the state. These earthquake alerts are generated by the ShakeAlert system, which uses traditional seismographs to generate data.
Marc Stogaitis, chief software engineer of Google’s Android system, said: “It would be great if there were seismograph-based systems all over the world for seismic detection, but this is actually impractical because seismograph systems are very expensive and must be maintained regularly. It needs to be used extensively in a region to form a good earthquake prediction system, so global coverage cannot be achieved.”
Therefore, Google plans to support the earthquake detection system by Android phones in the second and third phases. In the second stage, Google will display localized results in Google Search Earthquake based on the data detected from Android phones.
Ultimately, after the accuracy of the system is improved, Google will actively promote earthquake warnings to people living in areas without seismograph warning systems.
Stogaitis further explained that the information collected for this purpose is desensitization data collected from users, and that Google only needs “rough” location information to perform earthquake detection, and the seismic detection system is also a selective service.
The working principle of the earthquake warning system based on the Android system is as follows:
The P wave and S wave in seismic waves can be detected through the accelerometer attached to the smartphone. P wave is the fastest signal generated in an earthquake, and S wave (secondary wave) is slower but more harmful, so it can Prepare for the arrival of S wave by detecting P wave.
The Android system aggregates data from thousands of mobile phones and uses Bayesian filters and other algorithms to convert these data into sufficiently accurate earthquake data to locate the epicenter, determine the earthquake intensity, and issue earthquake warnings.
However, Naijatechnews.com learned that this system still has certain limitations-it cannot warn all users before the earthquake. It is difficult for users who are closest to the earthquake epicenter to be warned in time, because this system cannot predict the earthquake in advance, but only quickly locate the epicenter and determine the earthquake intensity after the earthquake occurs, and issue an alarm.
Google will launch this service through Google Mobile Services, which means that foreign users can use it through system updates, while domestic users cannot use this service due to bans.
At present, Google has begun to use the existing seismograph network to provide earthquake warnings in California. As for the earthquake warning system based on aggregated data from Android phones, it has not yet launched. Google said, “If an area has an earthquake detection and early warning system, we would prefer to use that system instead of using the Android phone’s own system for earthquake warning.”
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