A research project is keeping some volunteers awake for 64
hours.
This is all part of efforts by the Defence Science Organisation
(DSO) to create useful tools for the Singapore Armed Forces
(SAF).
The lack of sleep leads to mental fatigue and can affect how
soldiers perform in the field.
So Defence Science Organisation (DSO) National Laboratories are
working on solutions to help SAF soldiers better manage the lack of
sleep and their combat duties.
Henry Tan is not playing just another computer game.
The 29-year-old volunteer is being tested to see how fast he reacts
to the changes on screen, especially after staying awake for more
than 24 hours.
Results from tests like the strength of a volunteer's grip and how
the eye reacts to light flashes after missing 40 winks, will be
used to design tools for SAF officers to use on the field.
Fabian Lim, an exercise physiologist, said: "These tools can be
used to indicate the state of mental alertness in the men so that
commanders can then use this information to make informed decisions
on how to, maybe, redeploy their human resource or redesign their
job so that the degree of combat readiness is not
compromised."
But how are volunteers keeping themselves awake for 64 hours?
Henry Tan said: "Well, a good friend of mine came for this study
with me. So I guess during these six days, we'll try to catch up
what happened before. We'll try to keep awake, in that sense.
Sometimes we will read the papers, watch the TV."
Volunteers will also be going for walks and playing board games
with researchers to keep themselves awake.
Tests will also be conducted every four hours to check reflexes and
sense of balance. - CNA/ir
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still remember how much i hallucinated when i went on nights
without (proper and uninterrupted) sleep during OCS. i could fall
doze off while covering up my trench during defense ex, doze off
while walking and veer off into the drain while topo-ing, see
things that are not there while route marching, etc... 
even now, i have the experience of dozing off while
driving!
