Google has announced the launch of its Earthquake Alerts system for Android devices in India. The system uses smartphone sensors, such as accelerometers, which can act as small seismographs and detect earthquakes.
On Wednesday, the company announced that the system, developed in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the National Seismological Centre (NSC), will provide early earthquake detection alerts to Android users in areas likely to be affected. These alerts will be available on Android-supported local displays in India.
The company sends two types of alerts: “Be Careful” and “Take Action.” “Be Careful” alerts are sent to users during an earthquake of magnitude 4.5 or greater. They simply display a notification on your screen without playing any sound if your phone is in Do Not Disturb mode or on silent.
According to Google, the notifications are sent to users experiencing MMI 5+ vibration during a magnitude 4.5 earthquake. In this case, the notification will override system notification settings, including Do Not Disturb, and play a loud sound.
The alarm also indicates to users what action, such as hiding under a table, they can take for their safety.
Google says it detects a potential earthquake by using multiple Android phones that are recording seismic activity in an area. The company ensures that alerts arrive several seconds before the shaking occurs.
In 2020, Google introduced Android Earthquake Alerts for California residents. Users must have a phone running Android 5 or later and have a Wi-Fi or cellular data connection. To receive earthquake alerts, users must also have location settings on their devices.
Users can start receiving earthquake alerts by going to Settings > Safety & emergency Earthquake alerts. Alternatively, they can also enable earthquake alerts via Settings > Location > Advanced > Earthquake alerts.
Google already issues flood alerts using artificial intelligence across India. The company began testing flood alerts in Patna, the capital of the Indian state of Bihar, in 2018. Later, in 2020, it expanded flood alerts to the entire country.
Information source: techcrunch.com
