A user interface device, comprising: a base; an actuator element having one or more magnets and one or more multi-axis magnetic sensor elements for sensing, in multiple axes at a single reference point, a position or deformation of the actuator element relative to a released state; a plurality of springs disposed between the base and the actuator element; a memory for storing a predefined magnetic field model; and a processing element electronically coupled to the memory, the processing element programmed to: receive, during a movement or deformation of the actuator element from the released state, sensor data associated with the position of the magnets sensed by the multi-axis magnetic sensor elements; compare the sensor data from the ones of the magnetic sensor elements to a predefined magnetic field model to determine an estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from the released state; and generate, based on the estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from the released state, an output signal usable by an electronic device coupled to the user interface device; wherein the predefined magnetic field model relates positional information of the one or more magnets with corresponding sensor information associated with the one or more magnetic sensor elements. a base; an actuator element having one or more magnets and one or more multi-axis magnetic sensor elements for sensing, in multiple axes at a single reference point, a position or deformation of the actuator element relative to a released state; a plurality of springs disposed between the base and the actuator element; a memory for storing a predefined magnetic field model; and a processing element electronically coupled to the memory, the processing element programmed to: receive, during a movement or deformation of the actuator element from the released state, sensor data associated with the position of the magnets sensed by the multi-axis magnetic sensor elements; compare the sensor data from the ones of the magnetic sensor elements to a predefined magnetic field model to determine an estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from the released state; and generate, based on the estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from the released state, an output signal usable by an electronic device coupled to the user interface device; wherein the predefined magnetic field model relates positional information of the one or more magnets with corresponding sensor information associated with the one or more magnetic sensor elements. receive, during a movement or deformation of the actuator element from the released state, sensor data associated with the position of the magnets sensed by the multi-axis magnetic sensor elements; compare the sensor data from the ones of the magnetic sensor elements to a predefined magnetic field model to determine an estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from the released state; and generate, based on the estimated position or deformation of the actuator element from the released state, an output signal usable by an electronic device coupled to the user interface device; wherein the predefined magnetic field model relates positional information of the one or more magnets with corresponding sensor information associated with the one or more magnetic sensor elements.