US Army developing a coffee app to tell you the best time to drink a cup

US Army developing a coffee app to tell you the best time to drink – and they say it could boost your alertness by over 60 percent

  • A US Army research center has developed an algorithm that can figure out an ideal dosage of caffeine to maximize alertness when tired from lack of sleep
  • The research developed software that could learn people’s individual physiology
  • The algorithm could improve alertness by up to 64 percent, study finds
  • US Army plans to license the algorithm and potentially develop an app

A US Army research center has developed a complicated algorithm that can figure out an ideal dosage of caffeine. 

The system will also maximize alertness for people exhausted from lack of sleep.

A recent study found that 85 percent of American adults consume caffeine in some form every day, and now the Army has found the perfect time to get the best effect from it.   

A recent study found that 85 percent of American adults consume caffeine in some form every day, and now the Army has found the perfect time to get the best effect from it.

A US Army research center has developed an algorithm that can figure out an ideal dosage of caffeine to maximize alertness when tired from lack of sleep

In a study published in the Journal of Sleep Research, Department of Defense researcher Jaques Reifman discussed how an created algorithm can determine the best dosage of caffeine to take at the right time. 

‘We found that by using our algorithm, which determines when and how much caffeine a subject should consume, we can improve alertness by up to 64 percent, while consuming the same total amount of caffeine,’ Reifman said.

‘Alternatively, a subject can reduce caffeine consumption by up to 65 percent and still achieve equivalent improvements in alertness.’

The system can figure out safe, individualized caffeine-dosing solutions that result in the alertness that makes people more productive.

Reifman had users perform psychomotor vigilance tasks (PVT) and had user input sleep and caffeine intake data, since caffeine can affect everyone differently.

The algorithm then used the data to calculate an ideal dosage strategy for each person.

A recent study found that 85 percent of American adults consume caffeine in some form every day, and now the Army has found the perfect time to get the best effect from it

A recent study found that 85 percent of American adults consume caffeine in some form every day, and now the Army has found the perfect time to get the best effect from it

The algorithm is currently being tested among soldiers in training, and the army plans to license the system.

‘Our algorithm is the first quantitative tool that provides automated, customized guidance for safe and effective caffeine dosing to maximize alertness at the most needed times during any sleep-loss condition,’ said Reifman.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF DRINKING COFFEE?

Caffeine has been deemed safe for consumption in doses of up to 400 mg per day for the general population. 

Studies suggest it can have a variety of health benefits, including combating liver disease and type two diabetes.

Research has even suggested it could even help people live longer.

It is the world’s most widely consumed stimulant and reports show it can boost daily energy expenditure by around five per cent.

Researchers have said combining two to four daily coffees with regular exercise would be even more effective at keeping the weight off.

A 2015 study showed just a couple of cups a day could help millions of dieters stay trim once they have achieved their desired weight. 

A commercial smartphone app for public use could be available at one point, but nothing is yet in the works.

Related research led to the development of an open source version of the system called 2B-Alert.

However, it does not incorporate PVT results, so it isn’t personalized.    

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