A touch probe for sensing the position of a surface, having: a housing; a moving assembly supported within the housing and comprising a flexible reflective element, a spacer element, and a semitransparent element, wherein a reflective surface of the flexible reflective element and a surface of the semitransparent element opposing the reflective surface are separated by the spacer element in a first arrangement over a first area of the reflective surface when the flexible reflective element is in a first relatively non-flexed position, and wherein the moving assembly is movable in the housing from a rest location; a stylus connected to the flexible reflective element, where the moving assembly and stylus are configured such that movement of the stylus responsive to a force on the stylus causes the flexible reflective element to flex and change distances, relative to the first relatively non-flexed position, between points on the reflective surface of the flexible reflective element and on the opposing surface of the semitransparent element over the first area of the reflective surface; a coherent light source configured for providing coherent light incident upon the semitransparent element and directed through the semitransparent element towards the reflective surface of the flexible reflective element, whereby the coherent light is partially internally reflected from the opposing surface of the semi-transparent element surface and partially transmitted through the semitransparent element to the reflective surface of the flexible reflective element, such that light reflected from the reflective surface can constructively or destructively interfere with the internally reflected light in the semitransparent element and create interference fringes over the first area dependent upon separation distances between the reflective surface of the flexible reflective element and the opposing surface of the semitransparent element; and a detector configured for sensing changes in interference fringes patterns over the first area in response to flexing of the flexible reflective element and change in distances between points on the reflective surface of the flexible reflective element and on the opposing surface of the semitransparent element over the first area of the reflective surface. a housing; a moving assembly supported within the housing and comprising a flexible reflective element, a spacer element, and a semitransparent element, wherein a reflective surface of the flexible reflective element and a surface of the semitransparent element opposing the reflective surface are separated by the spacer element in a first arrangement over a first area of the reflective surface when the flexible reflective element is in a first relatively non-flexed position, and wherein the moving assembly is movable in the housing from a rest location; a stylus connected to the flexible reflective element, where the moving assembly and stylus are configured such that movement of the stylus responsive to a force on the stylus causes the flexible reflective element to flex and change distances, relative to the first relatively non-flexed position, between points on the reflective surface of the flexible reflective element and on the opposing surface of the semitransparent element over the first area of the reflective surface; a coherent light source configured for providing coherent light incident upon the semitransparent element and directed through the semitransparent element towards the reflective surface of the flexible reflective element, whereby the coherent light is partially internally reflected from the opposing surface of the semi-transparent element surface and partially transmitted through the semitransparent element to the reflective surface of the flexible reflective element, such that light reflected from the reflective surface can constructively or destructively interfere with the internally reflected light in the semitransparent element and create interference fringes over the first area dependent upon separation distances between the reflective surface of the flexible reflective element and the opposing surface of the semitransparent element; and a detector configured for sensing changes in interference fringes patterns over the first area in response to flexing of the flexible reflective element and change in distances between points on the reflective surface of the flexible reflective element and on the opposing surface of the semitransparent element over the first area of the reflective surface.