At the lab where I work things don't seem super strict. It seems like you can take breaks when you feel like it as long as you've done what you're supposed to do by the end of the day. That's my impression of research labs in general (but I might be wrong since I don't have that much experience yet).

I think it's difficult that things aren't structured. That really bothered me last year. It's difficult for me to structure my "free time" at work (when I'm for example waiting for one thing to finish before I can start something new) but I think they (the supervisor etc.) expected me to be able to figure out what to do on my own. I tried reading some scientific articles on relevant subjects last year but couldn't focus due to all the noise and the fact that I felt like I was being observed/watched. I probably wasn't being watched but I was kind of hyper-vigilant all the time, checking my surroundings for people etc. I remember disliking the fact that my desk was placed in such a way that I couldn't see the environment properly. I didn't have my back against a wall, which made me feel unsafe.

In this case if you have finished all your tasks for the day, ask permission to leave. If it's denied, ask for something to do. If you're told that there's nothing to do and you have to wait anyway, or that you should be able to find something to do (even though you've already said you've done everything), then congratulations! You have a moron as your supervisor, or are working in an environment that causes moronic practices.

I did that once last year. I had finished all my tasks and I didn't have anything to do since it was too late to start another "experiment". I think it was around 4pm. Asked my supervisor if there was something else I could do or if I could go home. She told me to empty all the bins in the lab but that didn't take long so I asked her what to do when I was done with that and she sent me home. However, I noticed that she got a little annoyed so I didn't ask her about that after that one time (and I still sort of got told I asked too many questions and wasn't independent enough at the end of last summer).

If you are working in an academic setting it's likely they have some experience to dealing with Aspies. It may be worth disclosure, especially if you want to be there for a while.

I'll only be there two summers (last summer and this summer). I'm an undergraduate and I was accepted to a summer research program that requires me joining a research group at a lab and working on a project. So that's what I'm doing.

Anyway, my psychologist actually suggested telling my supervisor about my AS. I don't live in the US and it seems like disclosing that kind of information isn't as bad here as it is in the US. I'm not sure if I should tell my supervisor though. I don't want them to think I'm incapable of doing things just because I have autism. Do you know what I mean?