Magnetic nanocomposite sensor

A method comprising:

• providing a magnetic nanocomposite device having a flexible substrate, a set of nanocomposite pillars having magnetic nanowires embedded therein in a composite material, the magnetic nanowires creating a stray field, and a flexible magnetic sensor disposed on the substrate and configured to detect the stray field created by the magnetic nanowires;
• determining, in response to application of a force to a subset of the set of nanocomposite pillars, a change in impedance of the magnetic sensor;
• and
• determining, based on the change in impedance of the magnetic sensor, information regarding the application of the force,
• wherein the application of the force to the subset of the set of nanocomposite pillars causes nanocomposite pillars in the subset to bend,
• wherein bending of the nanocomposite pillars in the subset causes a change in the stray field,
• wherein the change in the stray field causes the change in the impedance of the magnetic sensor, and
• wherein the set of nanocomposite pillars is directly located, with a first end, on a face of the magnetic sensor, and a second end, opposite the first end, of the pillars is free to move for detecting a force applied to the second end.