I discovered the Valkee today through a new press release (8/28/12) but it’s been around for some time now [lengthy rather amusing Slashdot thread from Aug. 2011].
Bright light therapy has been shown to be an effective cure for seasonal depression. New Finnish research reveals that bright light therapy, when administered through the ear canal directly to the photosensitive brain tissue, offers benefits for those not suffering from seasonal depression at all, as it improves the cognitive performance and mood of the healthy, too.
The new studies are linked to on the Valkee Evidence page.
Previous studies have shown Transcranial Bright Light Therapy to be effective in treating Seasonal Depression Disorder (SAD) but in a new study, Finnish hockey players improved their ‘motoric reaction speed’.
See Also: Stimulating brain tissue with bright light alters functional connectivity in brain at the resting state
Valkee seems to be targeted towards travelers anticipating jet lag, or those in Northern climates where winter exposure to light is limited. But the Valkee Benefits page mentions everything from PMS to ‘reduced carbohydrate cravings’.
“Valkee has CE Class II(a) medical device certification and is clinically tested.”
“Valkee currently does not ship into the US, but we will soon!” And you can sign up to be notified.
Seems to me there’s probably something at the 99 Cents Store that could be re-purposed to build these.
I saw this some time ago – you could also use your nostrils to get light into your brain as it has a direct connection to the olfactory bulb – seriously