Tactile　perception　is　the　necessary　means　for　intelligent　equipment　to　acquire　external　information,　and　improve　its　safety　and　the　performance　of　human-machine　interaction.　Based　on　the　uniqueness　theorem　of　electrostatic　field,　a　new　flexible　tactile　sensor　that　can　detect　the　contact　position　information　is　designed.　A　strong　conductive　line　is　arranged　along　the　edge　of　a　flexible　rectangular　plane　with　a　layer　of　weak　conductive　film.　A　bias　excitation　is　applied　to　the　opposite　angles　of　the　conductive　plane　to　construct　a　uniform　electric　field.　The　direction　of　the　electric　field　is　at　a　certain　angle　to　the　diagonal　of　the　conductive　plane.　Furthermore,　the　bias　excitation　applied　to　two　pairs　of　opposite　angles　alternately,　so　that　two　uniform　electric　fields　in　different　direction　can　be　alternately　formed　in　the　conductive　plane.　According　to　the　linear　relationship　between　position　and　potential　in　the　uniform　electric　field,　the　coordinate　of　contact　position　can　be　determined　by　obtaining　the　potential　of　the　contact　point　in　the　conducting　plane.　The　sensor　uses　a　three-layer　structure,　including　a　conductive　layer,　an　intermediate　isolation　layer　and　a　signal　extraction　layer.　COMSOL　multiphysics　is　used　to　simulate　the　different　states　of　the　electric-field　distribution　for　different　size　of　the　plane　and　different　contact　area.　A　tactile　sensor　sample　is　fabricated.　The　simulation　and　experimental　results　show　that　the　principle　of　the　tactile　sensor　used　for　the　contact　position　detection　is　feasible,　and　it　has　good　detection　accuracy　for　the　tactile　sensor　of　100　mm×100　mm.　©　2019　Journal　of　Mechanical　Engineering.