A　new　flexible　tactile　sensor　has　been　designed　on　the　basis　of　the　electric　potential　distribution　of　the　planar　steady　current　field.　The　sensor　is　built　to　detect　information　on　the　contact　position　for　human-robot　interaction,　such　as　that　involving　human-care　robots,　medical　robots,　or　other　service　robots.　The　design　scheme　of　a　three-circle　conductive　plane　was　proposed　according　to　the　refraction　of　electric　field　lines　by　comparing　various　schemes,　which　can　realize　the　X　and　Y　coordinate　detection　of　contact　positions.　An　approximately　linear　relationship　between　the　potential　distribution　and　contact　position　coordinates　was　verified　through　COMSOL　simulation,　and　an　error　distribution　rule　for　contact　position　detection　on　the　conductive　plane　was　deduced.　Then,　a　design　scheme　of　the　tactile　sensor　with　a　three-layer　structure　was　proposed;　such　a　structure　consisted　of　an　upper　conductive　layer,　a　middle　isolation　layer,　and　a　lower　conductive　layer.　A　mathematical　model　of　contact　position　detection　was　established,　and　the　influence　of　surface　contact　on　detection　accuracy　was　analyzed　with　COMSOL.　A　flexible　tactile　sensor　sample　was　fabricated,　and　an　experiment　on　contact　position　detection　was　conducted　on　the　sensor　sample.　The　feasibility　of　the　sensor　was　verified　with　a　robot　manipulator.　©　2018　M　Y　U　Scientific　Publishing　Division.　All　rights　reserved.