Abstract: A sensor for measuring ocean water salinity is described. The sensor may include a measurement clock circuit, a control clock circuit, and a comparator circuit. The measurement clock circuit, having an output that varies with salinity of a fluid, may have a first circuit architecture that includes a capacitive gap assembly that permits a fluid to flow into a gap between two electrodes of the capacitive gap assembly. The control clock circuit, having an output that does not vary with salinity of the fluid, may have a second circuit architecture comprising a capacitor. The comparator circuit may be configured to compare the controlled clock output to the measured clock output over a duration of time to determine a salinity measurement of the fluid.

Abstract: A multi-module sample preparation device for use with a DNA sequencer is provided. The device includes several modules that are operatively connected in a manner such that a liquid sample containing DNA for analysis can be charged into the device and automatically prepared for sequencing with little or no user interaction. The device enables targeted amplification, purification, and library preparation for a liquid sample prior to being injected into a DNA sequencer.