'Quake Catcher' Software Converts Laptops Worldwide into Earthquake Sensor Network

Here's one genius computer program you might consider pushing virally for science's sake. The "Quake Catchers" program aims to make earthquake detection a lot easier and cheaper by taking advantage of accelerometers built into MacBooks and other newer laptops, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The accelerometers that are embedded in everything from iPhones to the Nintendo Wii aretiny devices that detect movement. Having software that takes advantage of the tiny devices on thousands of laptops could complement the current system of earthquake sensors installed along fault zones.

Elizabeth Cochran, an earth scientist at the University of California in Riverside, got the idea of harnessing accelerometers for an earthquake network by watching the "Seismac" program on a friend's MacBook. But whereas Seismac allows you to shake the MacBook and get accelerometer readings for giggles, Cochran hopes "Quake Catchers" can help science and maybe save lives.

The "Quake Catcher" software is designed to record all vibrations on a computer, but only uploads the info if many computers in the same geographic area record "dramatic shaking."

If the idea catches on in schools, businesses and homes, it might even become part of an early-warning system that detects the outward ripple of an earthquake. Even laptops that don't have accelerometers can get a $50 sensor with a USB cable that acts similar to an accelerometer.

About 1,000 people have already signed on as "Quake Catchers," and Cochran's group hopes to possibly blanket California and beyond. That doesn't mean we won't still need our quake-proof buildings, but the software represents readily adaptable technology that's available now. We'll just keep dreaming of our active cloaking that counters earthquakes.

Check out the Quake-Catcher Network here.

This is a great idea, I don't have a laptop tho, so I cant participate without buying some hardware, but I figure many ATSers have the new laptops with the ability for this to work.

Growing interest in earthquakes and the need for more monitoring, makes this a great program at a great time.

PopSci



[edit on 3/15/2010 by Alaskan Man]

Yeah that's pretty cool, I didn't know so many laptops had accelerometers in them, or that even if they did they would be sensitive or accurate enough to be useful for such a program.

I have an old Dell laptop which probably has no such sensor. And I hate quicktime so much that's been enough to prevent me from ever considering buying a macbook. The nerve of Apple insisting their stupid software which I hardly ever use MUST start every time I start my PC and waste valuable and limited system resources! Hmmmph!

But I used to participate in SETIatHome and that was pretty cool. The idea of distributed computing is great but now a distributed sensor network! Wow!

Wow this sounds like a great idea. Mr Mac man and all his buddies from the baked bean appreciation society let rip with a collective gas fart while working on there macbook's and before you know we've got reports of a Magnitude 9 in littlerock.

I suppose it will give the media a chance to generate more panic, (more hits on there sites, more people tuning in, more people buying papers) at least until they realize it was a false alarm.

[edit on 15-3-2010 by macabar]