What if it is possible to sense earthquakes before them hitting land? It would give people a little time to run out of their houses or take shelter. The app MyShake, developed by a team of researchers at the University of Berkeley, does exactly that. It warns people about upcoming tremors.
Recently, it alerted Californians about the South Bay earthquake. Those who had the Android platform MyShake received the alerts. The notifications came two seconds before people felt the earthquake. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and Google’s Dieter Bohn were among the recipients.
How does MyShake predict earthquakes? It does predictions using traditional seismic networks and an artificial neural system. The system sends alerts to users. The data would also comprise conditions of roads and buildings. The app sources data from ShakeAlert, which the US Geological Survey uses to track earthquakes.
The researchers are now trying to send alerts earlier as this would give users more time to find a way out. MyShake is currently available in California, Oregon, and Washington. Currently, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services funds the app.
