A sensor to detect and map various mechanical stimuli spatially distributed over the area of contact with the surface of the sensor. The sensor is a thin film including a stack of alternating layers of nanoparticles and dielectric materials sandwiched between electrodes. By applying a bias between the electrodes, the applied stimuli to the sensor is converted to light and/or device-current through the stack. The optical signal may be directly focused on a photo detector, such as a digital camera, to image the distribution of the stimuli. The electronic signal in the form of spatial distribution of device-current over the area of contact may be obtained by patterning top and bottom electrodes and analyzed using standard electronics. The sensor has applications in many fields, including medicine, forensics, basic and applied research, and robotics.