Maximizing Sleep Quality and Efficiency using Neurotechnology

Military operations require sustained cognitive performance in challenging environments. Situational awareness, vigilance, memory, decision-making, and other neurocognitive processes are all impacted by poor sleep quality, sleep deprivation and accumulating sleep debt with potentially detrimental consequences. Although efficient amelioration of the effects of sleep deprivation or accumulated sleep debt can be achieved by various means in the short term (e.g. use of caffeine or other pharmacological stimulants, physical exercise), there is no replacement for real sleep in the long run. In operational environments, or in other situations that do not allow for regular sleep schedules with 7-8 hours of overnight sleep, brief naps taken at various times throughout the day effectively counter fatigue and improve performance. This Phase 2 project completes the design, implentation and testing of the NapCap platform to address the challenges faced with napping in an operational environment. State-of-the-art sleep research findings are used to guide the development of an integrated system with multiple modules designed to bi-directionally gate sensory modalities. External manipulation of the senses accomplishes three napping goals: decrease sleep latency, increase sleep efficiency, and determine the best wake point during a nap episode. The NapCap is constructed and designed around the ABM wireless EEG Sensor Headset.