Why will tactile sensing shape electronics in 2026?

While engineers have long optimised electronics for performance, efficiency, and form factor, a shift is now underway that places human interaction at the centre of electronic design. As devices become more integrated into daily life, from wearables and embedded systems to medical and industrial electronics, how a product feels and fits is emerging as a measurable engineering variable rather than a subjective afterthought. Poor ergonomic design contributes to device abandonment, non-compliance in medical settings and increased injury risk, yet ergonomics is rarely quantifiable in early-stage design, leading to reliance on subjective feedback, or ‘trial and error.’ Here, Dr Jae Son, CEO and Founder of tactile sensor specialist PPS, outlines the role of tactile sensing in helping to embed ergonomics into electronic design.

Tactile sensing is gaining momentum as one of the enabling technologies reshaping how electronics are refined. Rather than relying on trial and error or late-stage user feedback, engineers can now embed pressure and force measurement into the design process itself. This marks a transition toward data-led ergonomics, where comfort, effort and fit can be engineered with the same rigour as electrical performance.

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