A haptic sensor for performing palpation includes a deformable membrane having a reflective surface, a light source, a camera, and a processor. When the sensor is pressed against an object on a body, the deformable membrane deforms to contour to the shape of the object, light is reflected off the reflective surface, and captured by a camera. The reflected light is processed to reconstruct a 3-D image of the object. The rendered image can show abnormalities such as cysts, tumors, or other abnormalities, as well as arterial pressure pulses. In different embodiments, the sensor illuminates the deformed membrane from multiple directions, using shape-from-shading or grayscale mapping, or using video streams to provide more accurate images. The sensor is able to be included as part of a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, thereby making it compact and portable.
