The invention relates to a multi-contact tactile sensor including an elastically deformable interaction layer (10) and a supporting layer (11), the lower surface of the interaction layer (10) having an array of strip conductors (12) and the upper surface of the supporting layer (11) having an array of strip conductors (13) that are not parallel to the array of strip conductors (12) on the interaction layer (10). The interaction layer (10) and the supporting layer (11) are separated by a first series of rigid insulating spacers (14). A second series of conducting spacers (15) is placed in contact with at least one of the two arrays of strip conductors (12, 13). The impedance and the dimensions of the spacers (14) of the second series are determined so as to prevent contact at rest and to enable local contact during the deformation of the interaction layer (10) between the spacers (15) of the second series and the array of strip conductors of the layer opposite said spacers (15). The invention also relates to a controller for controlling one such sensor, a mult-contact tactile screen including one such sensor and a keyboard comprising a set of discrete keys, formed by one such sensor.