There are plenty of hybrid devices in the market today which combines a traditional laptop with a more modern touchscreen. The idea is that if you wanted a laptop you’d have a laptop, but if you wanted a tablet-like device, the touchscreen functionality sort of turns it into one. However if you have an older tablet then we guess you’d be out of luck.
Or are you? During CES 2016, a company by the name of Neonode will be showing off a device called the AirBar. It’s a simple concept and basically what happens is that you plug it into your computer’s USB and it will give your laptop’s display touchscreen capabilities. How does this work, you ask?
AirBar works by emitting what the company calls an invisible light field that they have named zForce AIR. Presumably by touching the display, it interrupts the light field which then tells the device where you have touched and it will respond in kind. The best part is that it requires no special software and will work once it’s plugged in.
At the moment it will play nicely with Windows 7, 8, 10 or even Chromebook devices. As for OS X users, you’ll have to wait as Neonode is still working on a Mac version. The best part is that the AirBar is cheap at $49, making it more affordable than having to purchase a brand new laptop just for touchscreen functionality. To see it in action, watch the video above.