Project SATAN (Strobes Against Troops at Night)
Abstract
The main field study was designed to examine the performance of soldiers under stroboscopic illumination and to record any pshychophysiological effects of the experience. A modified 5 kilowatt xenon-arc lamp system was mounted on a tank. The illumination was directed from given positions in relation to the men, the targets, and the terrain. Marksmenship, transversing the terrain, and timed hand-eye coordination tasks were performed under several conditions: continuous wave, 6 Hz at 13.5% and 50% duty cycle conditions. Nineteen soldiers participated in the main field test. Results of the tests and experience indicated that all personnel involved in the project had substantial subjective effects from the strobic illumination. Data analyzed from the timed tasks for eye-hand coordination indicated that learning the task affected the scores more than the frequency and duty cycle of the stoboscopic source. Future field studies should be conducted under controlled conditions and the tasks should be those in which the anticipated disruptive effects could be easily detected in humans. Then more sophisticated field tests under stroboscopic illumination with various stimuli and terrain conditions could be accomplished with tasks identified as critical to the conduct of the mission.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA054120
Entities
People
- Bruce E. Stuck
- David I. Randolph
- Horace B. Gardner
Organizations
- Letterman Army Hospital