Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	2. Basis of Presentation In the opinion of management, the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature, necessary for a fair statement of the results for the periods presented in accordance with United States of America Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) and with the instructions to Form 10-Q in Article 10 of the Securities and Exchange Commissions (SEC) Regulation S-X. The results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. The information presented in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2012 has been derived from the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements. All other information has been derived from the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012. *Principles of Consolidation* The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, MTI Instruments and its VIE, MTI Micro. The Company is the primary beneficiary of the VIE. All inter-company balances and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The Company reflects the impact of the equity securities issuances in its investment in a VIE and additional paid-in-capital accounts for the dilution or anti-dilution of its ownership interest in the VIE. The Company has performed an analysis under the VIE model and determined that MTI Micro is a VIE. One of the criteria for determining whether an entity is a VIE is determining if the entity, MTI Micro, has equity at risk. Management has concluded that MTI Micro does not have equity at risk to fund operations into its next phase of development. Further, the Company has determined that it is the primary beneficiary of MTI Micro, and therefore should include MTI Micro’s results of operations in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company's analysis to determine the primary beneficiary of MTI Micro focused primarily on determining which variable interest holder has the power to direct the activities that would have the most significant impact on the financial performance of MTI Micro. MTI Micro is governed by its own board of directors and significant decisions are determined by a majority vote of this board. MTI does not have control of the MTI Micro board of directors; however, as of September 30, 2013, the Company’s board of directors and the MTI Micro board of directors consist of the same members, except for one additional director on the Company board. Under the Articles of Incorporation of MTI Micro, each share of MTI Micro stock is entitled to a vote, and further, holders of a majority of the shares of MTI Micro's common stock have the ability to reconstitute the board. As of September 30, 2013, MTI, Counter Point Ventures Fund II, LP (Counter Point) and Dr. Walter L. Robb, a member of the Company’s and MTI Micro’s board of directors own 47.6%, 45.2% and 5.1% of the common shares of MTI Micro, respectively. Counter Point is a venture capital fund sponsored and managed by Dr. Robb. Since no entity of the related parties has power but, as a group, the Company and its related parties have the power, then the party within the related party group that is most closely associated with the VIE, MTI Micro, is the primary beneficiary. Even though Dr. Robb and Counterpoint combined control a majority of the outstanding common stock, and they have the ability to elect the directors of MTI Micro and decide whether to continue to seek business opportunities for MTI Micro or instead seek opportunities to sell the intellectual property, they have not elected to do so. The Company continues to oversee the day to day operations, exercise management decision making, seek opportunities to sell intellectual property, and has a vested interest in the commercialization of MTI Micro’s fuel cell technology. Since inception in 2001, the Company has made the largest investment and been the principal funder of MTI Micro. The Company has also been exposed to losses and has the ability to benefit from MTI Micro. Considering the facts and circumstances, management believes the Company is most closely associated with the VIE, MTI Micro, and therefore, it is the primary beneficiary. Should there be a change in the facts and circumstances (such as undertaking additional activities, a change in governance or a change to the related party group) in the future, management will reassess whether the Company remains the primary beneficiary and should continue to consolidate MTI Micro in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Non-controlling interests (NCI) are classified as equity in the consolidated financial statements. The consolidated statement of operations presents net income (loss) for both the Company and the non-controlling interests. The calculation of earnings per share is based on net income (loss) attributable to the Company.

Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

2. Basis of Presentation

In the opinion of management, the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature, necessary for a fair statement of the results for the periods presented in accordance with United States of America Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP) and with the instructions to Form 10-Q in Article 10 of the Securities and Exchange Commissions (SEC) Regulation S-X. The results of operations for the interim periods presented are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year.

Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the annual consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

The information presented in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2012 has been derived from the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements. All other information has been derived from the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and September 30, 2012.

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, MTI Instruments and its VIE, MTI Micro. The Company is the primary beneficiary of the VIE. All inter-company balances and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The Company reflects the impact of the equity securities issuances in its investment in a VIE and additional paid-in-capital accounts for the dilution or anti-dilution of its ownership interest in the VIE.

The Company has performed an analysis under the VIE model and determined that MTI Micro is a VIE. One of the criteria for determining whether an entity is a VIE is determining if the entity, MTI Micro, has equity at risk. Management has concluded that MTI Micro does not have equity at risk to fund operations into its next phase of development. Further, the Company has determined that it is the primary beneficiary of MTI Micro, and therefore should include MTI Micro’s results of operations in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

The Company's analysis to determine the primary beneficiary of MTI Micro focused primarily on determining which variable interest holder has the power to direct the activities that would have the most significant impact on the financial performance of MTI Micro. MTI Micro is governed by its own board of directors and significant decisions are determined by a majority vote of this board. MTI does not have control of the MTI Micro board of directors; however, as of September 30, 2013, the Company’s board of directors and the MTI Micro board of directors consist of the same members, except for one additional director on the Company board. Under the Articles of Incorporation of MTI Micro, each share of MTI Micro stock is entitled to a vote, and further, holders of a majority of the shares of MTI Micro's common stock have the ability to reconstitute the board. As of September 30, 2013, MTI, Counter Point Ventures Fund II, LP (Counter Point) and Dr. Walter L. Robb, a member of the Company’s and MTI Micro’s board of directors own 47.6%, 45.2% and 5.1% of the common shares of MTI Micro, respectively. Counter Point is a venture capital fund sponsored and managed by Dr. Robb. Since no entity of the related parties has power but, as a group, the Company and its related parties have the power, then the party within the related party group that is most closely associated with the VIE, MTI Micro, is the primary beneficiary. Even though Dr. Robb and Counterpoint combined control a majority of the outstanding common stock, and they have the ability to elect the directors of MTI Micro and decide whether to continue to seek business opportunities for MTI Micro or instead seek opportunities to sell the intellectual property, they have not elected to do so. The Company continues to oversee the day to day operations, exercise management decision making, seek opportunities to sell intellectual property, and has a vested interest in the commercialization of MTI Micro’s fuel cell technology. Since inception in 2001, the Company has made the largest investment and been the principal funder of MTI Micro. The Company has also been exposed to losses and has the ability to benefit from MTI Micro. Considering the facts and circumstances, management believes the Company is most closely associated with the VIE, MTI Micro, and therefore, it is the primary beneficiary.

Should there be a change in the facts and circumstances (such as undertaking additional activities, a change in governance or a change to the related party group) in the future, management will reassess whether the Company remains the primary beneficiary and should continue to consolidate MTI Micro in the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Non-controlling interests (NCI) are classified as equity in the consolidated financial statements. The consolidated statement of operations presents net income (loss) for both the Company and the non-controlling interests. The calculation of earnings per share is based on net income (loss) attributable to the Company.