Researcher Developed Low-Cost Earthquake Sensor

Vivien He created the Qube, a $100 device that tracks ground motion to provide early earthquake warnings.

Updated on Sept. 27, 2026 in Geology

A small, unbranded black cube-shaped sensor sits on a concrete surface, with blurred structural architectural elements in the background. — Researcher Vivien He has developed a $100 seismic detection device, known as the Qube, designed to provide affordable, consumer-based early earthquake warnings using local Wi-Fi infrastructure. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Between September 2020 and May 2021, Vivien He tested a new $100 earthquake detection device in Los Angeles. The system, known as Qube, successfully identified all earthquakes above M 3.0 during the nine-month trial period.

Why it matters

The project aimed to provide a consumer-based alternative to traditional, expensive seismic monitoring equipment. By utilizing affordable hardware, the device allows for on-site earthquake warnings using common Wi-Fi infrastructure.

The Qube device demonstrated a high degree of accuracy with an R² value of 0.9562 when correlating its measurements with established seismic network data. During the trial, it successfully detected a M 4.5 earthquake located 40 km away.

The players

Vivien He

Vivien He is the lead researcher who developed the Qube earthquake detection technology.

The details

The device is roughly the size of a Rubik's cube and uses an internal geophone to measure ground-motion velocity. Upon detecting an event, it broadcasts alerts via an onboard alarm and automated text messages over a Wi-Fi connection.

Testing for the Qube device began in September 2020.
On 19 September 2020, the device detected a M 4.5 earthquake.
The testing period for the device concluded in May 2021.

The Big Picture

This innovation follows a pattern set by the development of IoT-based earthquake warning systems by shifting sensing capabilities to affordable, decentralized hardware. The success of this device suggests a broader paradigm shift toward on-site, consumer-accessible seismic data monitoring.

If successfully brought to the consumer market, the Qube could provide homeowners with immediate, low-latency alerts during seismic events. This would allow residents to take protective actions seconds earlier than conventional regional notification systems.

The takeaway

The Qube research demonstrates that professional-grade earthquake detection is possible using consumer-level components. This development offers a potential path for affordable, decentralized seismic monitoring in high-risk urban environments.