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Other News
Quakes caught by laptop sensor
Matt "Maxel" - August 6th, 2008 1:01 PM
A tiny device inside all laptops of today which prevents damage to the hard drive has proven to be a ‘lifesaver’ or at least it could potentially save many people’s lives.
The tiny devices that detect unexpected movement are being used to give warnings on earthquakes.
The Quakecatcher Network has been built by combining the readings of sensors in laptops known as accelerometers.
It successfully detected last month’s quake in Los Angeles.
Jesse Lawrence, assistant professor of geophysics at Stanford University and colleagues from the University of California Riverside, told BBC World Service’s Digital Planet programme that accelerometers are perfect for monitoring earthquakes.
In the case of laptops, the accelerometer detects when the machine has been knocked off a desk or dropped. Before impact the heads on the hard drive are pulled clear of the platters where data is stored to prevent physical damage.
“When you accidentally knock your laptop off the desk, the accelerometer is detecting a large, strong new motion,” he said.
