Getar: Building Movement

Getar keeps a notebook of how a building moves over quiet nights. It is for residents who want observations to discuss with a qualified engineer, using a charging phone left in the same recording place. Set the number of floors, approximate height, construction type and recording floor. Choose a four-, six- or eight-hour night. The accelerometer records movement while Getar sets aside footsteps, knocks, gaps and changes in phone position. Some phones and buildings will not provide a clear enough signal; Getar can retain the night without presenting a usable frequency. READ THE NIGHT Review the frequency, peak width, effective sampling rate, quiet minutes and windows kept or set aside. Compare a usable night's measurement with a broad height-and-construction estimate. A mismatch is an observation, not an explanation of its cause. Add a room thermometer reading when available and note unusual occupancy, construction or moved heavy items. Keep earlier entries when you change the recording place. A new place starts a new reference. COMPARE OVER TIME At least 14 separate accepted nights in the same place establish a reference. Getar adjusts for the available temperature and timing information and waits for a persistent change before presenting a changed-rhythm statement. Unfamiliar temperatures, missing recent observations or too little clear movement can keep the notebook in its learning state. The morning begins with one sentence. Touch it to open the notebook and inspect the evidence behind it. A quiet history line leaves gaps where observations are missing. COMPARE FLOORS An optional building group connects invited neighbors using a code. Derived observations can agree or disagree; Getar preserves a disagreement instead of averaging it away. With at least four floors, enough matching windows, a common phone direction and sufficiently precise local timing, additional floor-shape comparisons may become available. They are withheld when these requirements are not met. Ordinary frequency comparison remains available independently of that timing requirement. KEEP AND SHARE EVIDENCE Save a JSON file containing measurement summaries and spectra to a destination you choose. Raw acceleration is not stored or exported. An optional Getar PIN and fingerprint or face unlock provide separate ways to lock the notebook. Group connections and the local notebook have removal controls. WHAT THESE OBSERVATIONS MEAN Getar is not an engineering instrument and does not replace an inspection. Its readings have not yet been checked against professional measurements of a real building. It does not determine a building's condition or diagnose a cause. Ambient movement, phone sensors, placement, weather and occupancy all affect the evidence. A still reading cannot rule out a problem. Do not wait for the app when you notice a new crack, deformation or unusual sounds; seek a qualified inspection and follow local emergency instructions for an immediate concern. Keep the phone charging on the same firm floor near a structural wall. A bed, loose shelf or soft cover can move separately from the building. Do not touch the phone after recording begins. If Android or a user action interrupts a night, reopen Getar to resume; missing time is not counted. Support: [email protected]