Earthquakes are a constant threat to communities around the globe. While we’ve gotten good at knowing where they’re likely to strike, we still face devastating consequences when they do. What if we could give people a few precious seconds of warning before the shaking starts? Those seconds can be enough time to get off a ladder, move away from dangerous objects and take cover. For years, that’s been the goal of earthquake early warning (EEW) systems. But the expensive seismic networks on which they rely just don’t exist in many of the world’s most earthquake-prone regions.
In “Global earthquake detection and warning using Android phones”, published in Science, we show how we've turned the global network of Android smartphones into a powerful, pocket-sized earthquake detection system to help supplement official warnings systems. Over the last four years, the Android Earthquake Alerts system has detected thousands of earthquakes and sent alerts to millions of people in nearly 100 countries, often giving them the crucial moments they need to take cover before the shaking arrives. Evaluation of thousands of earthquakes, analysis of specific earthquake examples and direct user feedback allows the system to continuously improve its performance in key areas, like magnitude estimation, making the alerts more effective over time.