Smartphones Could Be Used As Earthquake Early Warning Systems

Smartphone sensors could be used in the future to give officials a five-second warning if a major earthquake is set to strike. It may not seem much, but it would allow enough time to sound alarms and shut off gas lines, potentially saving numerous lives. The research was conducted by the US Geological survey and if it is crowdsourced, they could bring the technology to fruition. Finely tuned scientific instruments such as the seismograph are used to predict big earthquakes in countries like Mexico and Japan. But researchers at the US Geological Survey (USGS), NASA and Carnegie Mellon University were curious about how data and sensors used in GPS or fitness trackers on smartphones could help in developing an early warning system for earthquakes. USGS' Benjamin Brooks told New Scientist that GPS sensors can identity where you are standing, but they also log a sudden lurch in one direction. He thinks that this information could indicate a seismic shift and could be helpful in predicting the precious moments leading up to potential disaster. http://bit.ly/1aWtxES