That doesn't work on so many levels. Funding is already tight in science. No one's going to give a large amount to an undergrad to start their own lab at home.

That doesn't work on so many levels. Funding is already tight in science. No one's going to give a large amount to an undergrad to start their own lab at home. Learning from others is important, as is having a team to work together on hard problems. If your study requires something being done every hour for 72 hours straight, one person can't do that. Not everything can be automated. Studying something that's controlled by the government and/or dangerous is impossible outside an academic environment. Getting plutonium and building your own nuclear reactor at home is generally frowned upon. Studying smallpox at home is generally frowned upon. Getting a DEA license for legal drug research is frowned upon. Conducting medical research on humans without an oversight board (and medical support, consent, etc) is generally frowned upon. Most animal supply places won't send hundreds of genetical engineered and bred mice to your apartment. This isn't a slap against you, but its clear that while HN understands engineering well, they don't get science for the most part.