Google turned two billion Android phones into the world's largest earthquake detection network
By utilizing the tiny accelerometers found inside every smartphone, Google created a massive, crowdsourced seismic sensor array that can detect earthquakes and alert people seconds before the shaking starts.
Android phones contain sensitive sensors called accelerometers that typically track movement or screen orientation. In 2020, Google launched the Android Earthquake Alerts System, which uses these sensors to detect the specific vibrations produced by seismic waves. When thousands of phones in one area detect a tremor simultaneously, Google servers quickly analyze the data to determine the epicenter and magnitude.
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