Abstract: Devices and methods configured to determine characteristics of tissue specimens are provided. Representative tissue analysis devices include a sensing module and a reference module. The sensing module includes a first post and a second post configured to have the tissue specimen affixed thereto, and a displacement sensor configured to output a displacement signal corresponding to a displacement of the first post. The reference module includes a reference sensor configured to output a reference signal corresponding to a reference input such as an ambient magnetic field. The devices further include instructions that determine: a displacement value based upon the displacement signal; a reference value based upon the reference signal; a reference-canceled displacement value based upon the displacement value and the reference value; and a characteristic of the tissue specimen based upon the reference-canceled displacement value.