Earthquakes strike with little warning, but new technology is making it possible to alert people before the worst shaking hits. In a groundbreaking study, researchers have shown how millions of Android smartphones around the world can act as a massive, crowdsourced earthquake detection and warning network.
Traditional earthquake early warning systems rely on networks of dedicated seismic sensors. They work well, but only in countries that can afford to build and maintain them. Many earthquake-prone regions still lack such infrastructure, leaving communities vulnerable.
The Android Earthquake Alerts (AEA) system aims to fill this gap. By tapping into the accelerometers already built into Android smartphones, the system can detect ground motion and pinpoint earthquakes in real time. When enough phones detect shaking, Google’s servers calculate the earthquake’s location, size, and expected impact — and send out alerts to nearby phones.
Since its rollout in 2021, AEA has detected over 11,000 earthquakes and issued alerts in 98 countries, reaching up to 2.5 billion people — a tenfold increase in global access to earthquake warnings. Most users say the alerts are helpful, even when they don’t personally feel shaking, because it raises awareness and helps them prepare.
The system continues to improve, learning from each event to deliver faster and more accurate warnings. Although there are still challenges — especially with very large earthquakes — the AEA has already proven itself as a powerful supplement to traditional seismic networks, making early warning possible in places that previously had none.
With continued refinements and user trust, smartphone-based systems like AEA could save lives and reduce injuries by giving people those precious extra seconds to take cover when the ground starts to shake.
Read the full study here: Global earthquake detection and warning using Android phones