A detection device includes: a detecting unit having a first substrate on which a plurality of pressure sensors are disposed around a reference point and a second substrate on which is formed an elastic projection whose center of gravity is positioned in a position overlapping with the reference point and that elastically deforms due to an external force in a state in which the tip of the elastic projection makes contact with the first substrate; and a controller that carries out detection operations for detecting the presence/absence of the external force based on pressure values detected by at least one of the plurality of pressure sensors, and controls the next detection operations of the detection unit based on the result of the previous detection.