14 D
iversity in STE A M www.diversityinsteam.com
Technology
W
hen an earthquake begins, a few seconds' warning can make all the difference in ensuring the safety of ourselves and our loved ones. After years of research, the irst app to predict earthquake activity, ShakeAlert, has become available for public use for citizens living on the West Coast, one of the biggest earthquake zones in the United States. Using your phone's built-in software and the app's emergency wireless system, the app will be able to sense seismic activity of 4.5 or greater, tens of seconds before its effects begin to take place. Once the shaking begins at the epicenter, users of the app in surrounding areas will receive the shake warning before it takes place. The new technology will now be available to millions in states such as Washington, California and Oregon. Already in domestic use, it's being tested in other countries such as Chile, Greece, Israel, the Republic of Korea and Turkey, among other nations. Systems powered by ShakeAlert can turn mere seconds into opportunities for people to take life- saving protective actions, said the United States
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
The First Earthquake Predicting App is Now Available to the Public
By Natalie Rodgers
GeologicalSurvey'sicial, David Applegate, in a public statement, or for applications to trigger automated actions that protect critical infrastructure. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) partnered with Swiss and American universities to develop the mobile app with significant contributions being made by the University of California at Berkeley. The university's algorithm, ElarmS - short for Earthquake Alarms Systems - was among the first algorithms to provide data for ShakeAlert and U.C. Berkeley researchers began tests as early as 2007. It worked well, issuing alerts even before S-waves - the most damaging waves that rumble underground - reached the earth's surface. Once this detection is made, the app will alert its users to quickly take cover. The app received $12 million in federal funding and has undergone 13 years of development, academic collaboration and testing across West Coast states as well as areas of Canada. Furthermore, the app has been implemented
Previous Page