Japan, that little island nation dotting the Pacific “Rim of Fire” and constantly rocked by shaking earth, has mobilized “a system to notify customers of an imminent earthquake.” Japanese wireless operators DoCoMo and KDDI are joining forces to develop this type of early-warning system, as is Softbank, to give the Japanese population a few precious seconds of lead-time. The mobile phone networks will integrate with the Japanese Meteorological Society, which has developed a way to detect a quake several seconds ahead of its arrival. An earthquake warning system would be extremely useful in a nation that can claim 20% of shakers globally.
The mobile warning system will likely use an integrated mobile application that would sound an alarm or give visual warning of the incoming earthquake – giving the Japanese people time to brace for the impact or escape to safer environs. The time it takes to check email or text messages might be longer than the advance warning, making them unlikely mediums for the warning system.
via: yahoo