>As students, we have a great deal more time
> than money so we can afford to invest lots of time in this :).

Aha.
Harder but cheaper ...

Main panel sits in a secondary panel - still quite thin. Tact switch set
into hole in base (or possibly switches at each corner - or at several
places across pad - probably 5 is ideal) is/are activated by downwards
pressure on pad BUT completely protected against any amount of force as
system bottoms out before switch reaches allowable max travel. Cheap,
potentially robust.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
      |                    |                      |
XXOXXXXXXOXXXXXXXOXX

View with constant width font.
X is pad
O is tact switch set into lower pad.
| is switch actuator

At full compression switches are safe

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXOXXXXXXOXXXXXXXOXX


        RM

--
http://www.piclist.com hint: The PICList is archived three different
ways.  See http://www.piclist.com/#archives for details.