Im sure as hackers we could figure out how to make a device such as this, but the idea I was alluding to would be to make a device that is very cheap and very easy to use (like a hat you put on for 30 minutes and turn on by pushing a button, with an auto off after the time is up)
Sure, I was just pointing out that the actual technology is something that already isn't terribly expensive or hard to build. That doesn't mean there isn't an opportunity for somebody though.
If anything, the bigger problem than the price to build the device would probably be the regulatory stuff. I mean, you just know that the government will immediately declare something like this to be a "medical device" and insist on an elaborate, byzantine, corrupt, kafkaesque, bureaucratic nightmare of a regulatory process to get something like this approved.
I'm guessing that the HN community would think supporting a lot of safety and regulatory hoops for this is meddling statism?
I can't help but imagine all the cranks who'd sell smartness treatments and do permanent damage to the brain... homeopathy but with a chance of actual damage.
[1]: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3525744