Input device using three-axis force sensor

An input device having a three-axis force sensor, the input device comprising:

• a housing;
• the three-axis force sensor that is disposed on a surface of the housing, includes an operation surface, and detects, on a basis of a resistance value, a capacitance value, or an output charge that changes according to forces applied to the operation surface by a finger or a palm, a direction and a magnitude of a shearing force acting in a plane direction of the operation surface and a magnitude of a pressing force acting in a direction perpendicular to the operation surface among the forces;
• and
• a control unit that is electrically connected to the three-axis force sensor, is housed inside the housing, and activates an event on a basis of the shearing force and the pressing force detected by the three-axis force sensor, wherein the control unit is configured to:
• calculate component forces of the shearing force, respectively, for a plurality of input directions allocated in a plane of the operation surface;
• further calculate time change amounts with respect to the component forces in the allocation directions and the pressing force;
• and
• when the time change amounts exceed respective thresholds in one or more of the component forces in the allocation directions, activate the event on an assumption that an input has been performed for a direction selected from the allocation directions in which the thresholds are exceeded using whether the time change amount of the pressing force at that time is positive or negative as a criterion.