I have always wanted to experiment with an accelerometer. Saddly these days everything is being shrunk into things eyes can barely see. Here is a guide to soldering the MMA7260 Micromachined Accelerometer by Freescale Semiconductors. This device is only available in the 16-LEAD QFN package. There is a way to use the device even if you do not have a custom PCB with a QFN layout.

MMA7260QT

The MMA7260QT low cost capacitive micromachined accelerometer features signal conditioning, a 1-pole low pass filter, temperature
compensation and g-Select which allows for the selection among 4 sensitivities. Zero-g offset full scale span and filter cut-off are factory set and require no external devices. Includes a Sleep Mode that makes it ideal for handheld battery powered electronics.
Features
• Selectable Sensitivity (1.5g/2g/4g/6g)
• Low Current Consumption: 500 μA
• Sleep Mode: 3 μA
• Low Voltage Operation: 2.2 V – 3.6 V
• 6mm x 6mm x 1.45mm QFN
• High Sensitivity (800 mV/g @ 1.5g)
• Fast Turn On Time
• Integral Signal Conditioning with Low Pass Filter
• Robust Design, High Shocks Survivability
• Pb-Free Terminations
• Environmentally Preferred

List Of Requirements :

1. MMA7260 3 Axis Accelerometer from Freescale
2. A 4x6 hole veroboard
3. 2x4 pin pinstrip
4. thin single strands of multicore wire
5. solder and a thin tip iron
6. Tape
7. a set of stable hands
8. patience

Credits :

1. Freescale Semiconductors- for sending me the samples of such a wonderfull device
2. Fedde Le Grand - "Take No Shhhhh" the song i had playing in the background while soldering