Subsequent event - Note 17	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Notes to Financial Statements
Subsequent event - Note 17	17. Subsequent event A 1:8 reverse stock split of MicroVision's common stock became effective on February 17, 2012 and reduced the number of shares of our common stock issued and outstanding from approximately 136.1 million to approximately 17.0 million. We amended our Certificate of Incorporation on February 17, 2012 in order to effect the reverse stock split, and on a post-split basis, reduce the number of authorized shares of our common stock from 200,000,000 to 100,000,000 and maintain 25,000,000 authorized shares of our preferred stock. The effects of the reverse stock split have been reflected in the financial statements and the footnotes.

The entire disclosure for significant events or transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date through the date the financial statements were issued or the date the financial statements were available to be issued. Examples include: the sale of a capital stock issue, purchase of a business, settlement of litigation, catastrophic loss, significant foreign exchange rate changes, loans to insiders or affiliates, and transactions not in the ordinary course of business.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventsTextBlock
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration