My husband just sent me an article on Gizmodo about this as well.

It's interesting as I just read a research report about dream characters that stated lucid dreams are hard to research because it requires frequency in lucid dreams and finding proficient lucid dreamers for research is difficult, then concluded with how if there were a technology to induce lucid dreaming it would benefit research. Then my husband sent me this article! Ha.

Although it's probably harmless, I'd be worried about side effects of shocking the brain.

Also reminds me of the book Lathe of Heaven and the machine "the augmentor" form the book, which can make people dream vividly.