While sensors to monitor soldiers’ temperatures are a good innovation, they are not a solution that would actively cool the body to prevent heat injury (New centre aims to boost SAF soldiers’ heat resilience, Jan 12).

Perhaps the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) could look into an item founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew once wished for: air-conditioned undergarments.

Mr Lee described this wish in an interview in 1999, suggesting that it could take the form of a light polyester undergarment enclosed around the neck, wrists and ankles, and be battery-operated. He reckoned that everyone could then work at his ideal temperature across all climates.

Already, there exist devices such as Sony’s Reon Pocket, a wearable smartphone-size device that can cool the body.

I believe that money spent on research and innovation in this field would be well spent, and benefit not just Mindef but also the public at large.

Jeffrey Hah