Can anyone link to project plans or schematics for an accelerometer circuit that would allow me to take the raw data from it and code programs with it in java?

 

Lots of work there. Why not just get a commercial IC and use that? - http://www.analog.com/en/sensors/inertial-sensors/adxl330/products/product.html

Read the data sheet and it will tell you how to interpret the output.

 

How much work though? I have plenty of time to make it.

 

Just as complicate as you wish - especially if you wish to make a MEMS-based device.

Google gives 1,340,000 hits on the subject. Here is #1 - http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/ph/p/id/12

 

Oh sorry, I'm new to circuit designing and wasn't specific enough.

I dont actually wont to build the actual accelerometer, I want to take an accelerometer component that is something like this http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2909788&CAWELAID=124299652
and solder it in a circuit that would allow me to connect to a computer via usb and be able to access the data to use for Java applications

 

http://www.phidgets.com/products.php?category=5

3 axis, USB connectivity, less than $60.

You aren't going to beat that with a home made unit...also lots of documentation on it is available for you to look at.

 

I really want to build my own though, premade one will be my last resort

 

Oh sorry, I'm new to circuit designing and wasn't specific enough.

I dont actually wont to build the actual accelerometer, I want to take an accelerometer component that is something like this http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2909788&CAWELAID=124299652
and solder it in a circuit that would allow me to connect to a computer via usb and be able to access the data to use for Java applications

I have played with the device you link to at Radioshack's website. It is effective both as a Dual-axis accelerometer and as a tilt sensor.

It comes ready to use. All you add is power supply voltage and the circuitry needed to convert its output to something you can use. That description also fits the sensor board that kermit2 suggested.

When you say you want to build your own accelerometer, I take that to mean that you want to take an off the shelf accelerometer and build the interface circuit between it and say display the acceleration in each direction.


hgmjr

 

You may want to look at Seismac software, which accesses a Mac's built-in accelerometers to give real-time 3-axis stripcharts.