From Data to Discovery: How Raspberry Shake is Empowering Open Science

NASA has declared 2023 as the year of open science which is an exciting milestone for the scientific community. Open science is the practice of making scientific research, data, and publications accessible to everyone. It promotes transparency, collaboration, and innovation, and Raspberry Shake is proud to support this mission. Imagine a world where anyone, regardless of their background, can access and contribute to scientific research. This is the vision of Open Science, and Raspberry Shake is playing a crucial role in making it a reality. In this article, we will explore how Raspberry Shake’s low-cost seismographs are making seismic data more accessible and open to scientists and citizen scientists worldwide.

Open Science refers to the practice of making scientific research, data, and publications openly accessible to the public. The goals of Open Science are to increase transparency and collaboration in scientific research, accelerate scientific progress, and increase the impact and visibility of research.

One of the key principles of Open Science is the idea of open access, which refers to the free and unrestricted access to scientific publications and data. This means that anyone can access scientific research and data without having to pay expensive fees or be affiliated with a particular institution. Open access has the potential to democratize scientific research by making it accessible to a wider audience, including researchers in developing countries and citizen scientists.

Another key principle of Open Science is the idea of open data, which refers to the practice of making scientific data openly available for reuse and analysis. Open data can help to promote transparency and accountability in scientific research, as well as enable collaboration and innovation. By sharing data openly, scientists can build on each other’s work and accelerate scientific progress.

Raspberry Shake is a leading provider of professional-grade, low-cost Earth monitoring solutions. Our seismographs and infrasound models support Open Science by providing affordable and easy-to-use sensors that can be used by researchers, educators, and citizen scientists to collect and analyze seismic data, which is made available to everyone

Let’s take a closer look at the ways Raspberry Shake is supporting Open Science:

Accessibility: As professional grade instruments Raspberry Shakes are extremely affordable and easy to use in comparison to others on the market. This makes them accessible to a wide range of users, including students, researchers, and citizen scientists making it possible for more people to participate in scientific research and monitoring, promoting the democratization of science.

Haiti is a country prone to earthquakes and other seismic events. However, the country lacks the resources to support an extensive seismic monitoring network. In response to this challenge, several organizations have come together to create a new seismic network in Haiti using Raspberry Shakes. 

The use of Raspberry Shakes to support Haiti’s national network is a powerful example of how low-cost, community-based science can have a significant impact on disaster risk reduction and preparedness. By leveraging this technology, Haiti is able to monitor seismic activity more effectively and help enhance earthquake awareness, helping to protect the lives and livelihoods of its citizens. Read more.

Open Data: Raspberry Shakes are designed to collect high-quality seismic and infrasound data that can be shared openly with everyone, including the scientific community. By connecting to our ShakeNet network users are contributing to a real seismic network. Data from any connected device is made available for live viewing on the Station View and DataView online apps, and all historic data is available for download.

Collaboration: Raspberry Shake are designed to be easy to use and highly compatible with a wide range of scientific software.This means that anyone from anywhere can start recording seismic data and share it with researchers and professional scientists. This collaboration can lead to more efficient and effective scientific research, accelerating scientific progress.

This is just what happened back in 2020 during the COVID-19 global pandemic. A paper was published in the prestigious online magazine Science, “Global quieting of high-frequency seismic noise due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdown measures”, which heavily used data from Raspberry Shake seismographs operated by both professional scientists and citizen scientists. The collaboration between professional scientists and citizen scientists was essential for collecting such a large and diverse dataset, and both groups contributed to the writing of the paper. The article emphasizes the importance of open science and community involvement in scientific research, and the use of Raspberry Shakes demonstrates the potential for low-cost, high-reward seismology.

Education: Raspberry Shakes are also being used for education in all areas of STEM, helping students learn more about seismology and earth science through hands-on experience as part of a real seismic network. This can help to promote scientific literacy and encourage more students to pursue careers in science and technology. 

The Alaska Earthquake Center (AEC) has been working with schools to integrate seismology into their curriculum, using Raspberry Shakes as an affordable and accessible tool for monitoring earthquake activity. Students learn about seismology, earthquakes, and the scientific method through hands-on experience with the Raspberry Shake data. These initiatives have been successful in engaging students in STEM subjects and promoting scientific literacy. Learn more.

Are you interested in contributing to Open Science and the global earthquake monitoring efforts as a citizen seismologist? Raspberry Shake makes it possible! With a Raspberry Shake device, you can collect data on seismic activity and join a real global network helping make rapid earthquake detection faster and more accurate with your data.

Join the Raspberry Shake network: As a member of the Raspberry Shake network, you’ll have access to high-quality data on earthquakes and anything that makes the ground shake while contributing to the global effort to better understand seismic events. Don’t forget to turn on the data forwarding feature to share your data with the community.

Location is key: The sensors used on our Raspberry Shakes are very sensitive instruments that can detect both small and large ground motion, so it’s crucial to place your Raspberry Shake in the best possible location. You can install your Shake in almost any location but for optimal results, install it on a bare floor in a quiet location, such as a basement or away from appliances like washing machines and air conditioners. Consider building a seismic vault to house your Shake for even more accurate readings. Check out our blog with some guides on how to build one.

Education and outreach: Raspberry Shakes offer a great opportunity for students to learn more about all areas of STEM. They can be easily installed in classrooms and can help students understand how seismology works and how data is collected and analyzed. Additionally, students can contribute to a real seismic network and gain valuable experience in open science practices. Many schools and universities have educational programs that could benefit from a device that offers real-time feedback to students for fun, hands-on learning in the classroom. This is a great way to get students involved in seismic monitoring and contribute data to the scientific community. Remember, we’re more powerful together, so let’s contribute to open science!

Open Science is essential for scientific progress, and Raspberry Shake’s contributions to this movement are invaluable. Its affordable and accessible seismographs, commitment to open data, and educational initiatives are helping to make seismology research more accessible and engaging. By promoting collaboration and data sharing, Raspberry Shake is empowering scientists and citizen scientists to make new discoveries and contribute to our understanding of the world around us.