Top 10 Earthquake Tech Startups

While earthquakes are experienced more seriously in some parts of the world than others, the need for advanced technology to detect seismic activity is enormous. The ability to predict an earthquake would provide people with valuable time to escape to safety and remove themselves, and others, from dangerous situations.

Furthermore, there are also plenty of tech startups that are focusing on the other side of the coin – that is, dealing with the fallout of natural disasters and contributing to rescue and clean-up efforts.

The good news for regions that are particularly vulnerable to earthquakes is that innovations in technology now allow for an incredible amount of warning by means of advanced sensors and other complex technology. Complex tech is also contributing to first responders’ abilities to find survivors and navigate areas that are severely damaged, increasing survival rates.

How Can Tech Mitigate Damage Caused by Earthquakes?

 

Different types of earthquake-related technology can add significant value in a variety of ways, including early detection, assisting with recovery missions, assessing the “earthquake preparedness”, so to speak, of infrastructure and more.

But, why exactly are these things so helpful and important?

The ability to detect impending earthquakes can mean the difference between life and death for large numbers of people, as it can give them time to escape to relative safety, or at least get out of particularly dangerous areas.

In some cases, advanced technology can actually provide information on exactly when the earthquake is expected to hit, its magnitude and more. In addition to giving people time escape, early detection can also help emergency services be prepared to enter disaster zones.

Recovery and cleanup missions are also notoriously difficult, and advanced technology is working towards providing authorities and emergency services with new and improved ways to find and rescue injured people, assess the relative danger of damaged buildings and more.

In many instances, these new technologies also provide estimated times of arrival of emergency personnel and help coordinate large-scale rescue missions.

Earthquake tech is now also to add great value to societies as a whole in a pre-emptive manner, by means of being able to assess the earthquake preparedness of infrastructure in areas that are prone to dangerous seismic activity.

This includes buildings, public transport and more, increasing the infrastructure that is built safely and potentially saving lives in the future.

 

How Does Earthquake Tech Work?

 

The category of earthquake tech is vast, and it includes plenty of different types of advanced technologies, software and more that can be used to deal with damage caused by seismic activity, both before and after it happens.

A few types of technologies associated with earthquakes include vibration sensors, audio detection technology, AI-generated alert systems, advanced use of satellite imaging, big data analytics and more.

 

Top 10 Earthquake Startups Around the World

 

Here are 10 advanced tech startups working to detect and mitigate the fallout from earthquakes and other seismic activity.

 

1. Seismic AI

 

 

Founded in 2014, SeismicAI is a developer and provider of earthquake early warning (EEW) systems that operate as a service all over the world.

The startup is able to achieve this by means of patented regional algorithms that utilise local sensors, issuing with precise alerts in the event of an earthquake in the area.

Seismic AI can be triggered either automatically or manually, allowing for additional preparedness and consequently less damage and physical injury. The software allows for a full early warning cycle, including monitoring and reporting; alerts; and the triggering of automated preventative action.

 

2. EDGYBEES

 

 

EDGYBEES is a high-tech startup working towards achieving a solution to rectify inaccurate full-motion video and satellite footage used by commercial operators, government operators and other analysts to survey land and make informed decisions.

By means of an automated, software-only solution, EDGYBEES is using AI-powered software to improve the positional accuracy of aerial imagery.

From there, this US-based startup is creating potential for its improved technology to be used for things like earthquake detection as well as just into improve situational awareness.

 

3. Shield AI

 

 

Shield AI is a San Diego-based startup that is developing AI pilots in an effort to revolutionise commercial aviation, as well as to contribute to conflict. Hivemind, its AI pilot, powers drones and autonomous aircraft, allowing them to operate without GPS, a pilot or communication data.

In the context of earthquakes and other natural disasters, technology developed by Shield AI will allow for damage to be evaluated and help to be sent into disaster zones without having to endanger the lives of humans, representing a significant advance in technology.

 

 

4. IONOTERRA

 

 

Launched in 2017, IonoTerra specialises in the research and development of anything and everything to do with earthquakes in effort to establish technology that allows for early detection.

Based in Israel, this tech startup’s technology allows it detect depth, time, location and magnitude of impending earthquakes up to eight hours before they hit.

It does this by means of a proprietary algorithm that analyses a broad spectrum of data gathered by ionosonde and radar sensors. From there, it’s able to generate a seismic risk analysis, ultimately predicting when and how bad earthquakes will be.

 

5. One Concern

 

 

One Concern boasts specialised software that allows cities and countries create disaster response plans by means of a plethora of data from a variety of different sources.

The idea is that this would be able to predict the ways in which floods and earthquakes, in particular, would impact particular regions. What makes this platform special is that it is able to analyse risk on a building-by-building basis, with a supposed 85% rate of accuracy. One Concern asserts that this information can be generated up to 15 minutes before an earthquake hits.

The programme is also able to run earthquake simulations to see what kind of damage would be inflicted, allowing city and building planners to design and prepare accordingly.

 

6. SafeHub

 

 

SafeHub takes a slightly different approach to earthquake detection and disaster management by using IoT devices, sensors and software to be able to generate building-specific analyses of damage and more. It has the potential to provide information on recovery time estimates, projected financial loss and possible occupancy restrictions.

One of the main objectives behind SafeHub’s work is to provide a service that is not only affordable but scaleable too.

 

7. OpenEEW

 

 

OpenEEW is a low-cost, open-source, IoT-based earthquake detection system that is able to pick up the earliest signs of earthquakes and alert users accordingly.

By means of high-tech seismometers, OpenEEW uses devices that are deployed for the purpose of detecting ground motion.  The idea behind achieving early detection is to be able to give people as much warning as possible in anticipation of an impending earthquake.

OpenEEW’s software is most useful and effective in densely populated regions with higher chances of seismic activity.

 

8. AstroTeq

 

 

Founded in Poland, AstroTeq.ai is a tech startup focusing on developing and improving state-of-the-art earthquake detection systems and technology as well as finding novel ways to monitor seismic activity.

It does so by taking measurements of specific physical phenomena suspected to be involved in the cause of earthquakes, with a particular focus on studying cosmic rays. This information allows AstroTeq to predict the occurrences of earthquakes based on a combination of science and probability.

 

9. Damp Tech

 

 

Damp Tech is using innovative research and technology to find ways to mitigate the mass destruction caused by earthquakes, rather than attempting to stop them completely.

By means of its own proprietary, patented Rotational Friction Damping Technology, this startup is providing new and exciting ways to protect bridges, buildings, elevated highways, houses, offshore structures and more from the likes of serious natural disasters like earthquakes.

Essentially, the complex technology aims to reduce vibrations, thus decreasing the damage caused by seismic activity. Damptech produces tech that is versatile and can fit in small spaces.

 

10. Sound Eye

 

Sound Eye is a tech startup that aims to use audio technology to detect early signs of seismic activity. Instead of detecting physical movement in by means of motion sensors like many other earthquake detention systems, Sound Eye works with sound waves.

This startup has developed high-tech devices that are able to pick up all types of sounds and identify sounds that are deemed “abnormal” – including things like screams and more. Sound Eye also produces environmental sensors (that can detect humidity, temperature, smoke and motion) and laser and radar senses , detecting abnormal movements (including falling or no movement at all).

These sensors generate data that can and is used to not only predict earthquakes but also assist in rescue operations.