New USB peripheral adds touch feature to non-touch sensitive laptops

Mumbai: A US-based company has developed a slim USB peripheral that converts you non-touch sensitive laptop into a touch-receptive one, using an “invisible light field”.

The AirBar developed by Neonode attaches to the bezel of a laptop and once plugged into a USB port, the device covers the laptop’s display with an ‘invisible light field’, which the company refers to as zForce Air Technology.

Although similar infrared technologies have surfaced in the past, the company claims that this is one of the most advanced yet, and the AirBar is also relatively cheaper at just $50. Additionally, the device does not require any special software to work.

Currently, the device supports any Windows 7, 8.1 or 10 machines, and even Chromebooks. The company is still working on Mac support.

And what makes this device cooler is the fact that you can use anything to operate the touch screen—from thick gloves to chopsticks - everything works.

However, the device only supports 15.6-inch laptop screens, which significantly reduces its scope. So if you have an attuned laptop, you can pre-order one for just $49 and enjoy touch experience on your laptops.

Here is a video demostration of how the AirBar works:

(Source: AirBar)