Google's Android earthquake alert system has demonstrated its ability to notify...

Google's Android earthquake alert system has demonstrated its ability to notify users seconds before strong shaking begins. The technology uses smartphones' built-in MEMS accelerometers, which normally rotate screens, to detect the first, less intense P-waves produced by earthquakes while the devices are stationary. When a quake is detected, nearby smartphones anonymously communicate coarse location data to Google's servers. Algorithms compile this information from many phones to confirm the seismic event, estimating its location and magnitude. Alerts are then delivered through the internet at speeds much faster than the destructive S-waves. This process allows users to receive notifications before the stronger shaking arrives, giving them a crucial few seconds to react. The system expands on UC Berkeley’s MyShake research. 📰 @aipost