Accrued liabilities components (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Accrued Liabilities Components Details
Bonuses	$ 889,000us-gaap_AccruedBonusesCurrent	$ 725,000us-gaap_AccruedBonusesCurrent
Payroll and payroll taxes	322,000	375,000
Compensated absences	336,000us-gaap_CompensatedAbsencesLiability	315,000us-gaap_CompensatedAbsencesLiability
Deferred rent credit	134,000us-gaap_DeferredRentCreditCurrent	99,000us-gaap_DeferredRentCreditCurrent
Warranty	35,000	32,000
Adverse purchase commitments	500,000mvis_AdversePurchaseCommitments	500,000mvis_AdversePurchaseCommitments
Professional fees	78,000us-gaap_AccruedProfessionalFeesCurrent	76,000us-gaap_AccruedProfessionalFeesCurrent
Other	435,000us-gaap_OtherLiabilities	348,000us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
Accrued liabilities	$ 2,729,000us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent	$ 2,470,000us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent

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Adverse purchase commitments accrued as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred and payable for incentive compensation awarded to employees and directors or earned by them based on the terms of one or more relevant arrangements. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Current Liabilities

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Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 8

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)

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Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358313&loc=d3e6911-107765

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred and payable, pertaining to costs that are statutory in nature, are incurred on contractual obligations, or accumulate over time and for which invoices have not yet been received or will not be rendered. Examples include taxes, interest, rent and utilities. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for professional fees, such as for legal and accounting services received. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of liability accrued for the employer's obligation related to an employee's right to receive compensation for future absences that have been earned by employee.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Compensated Absences

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6508074

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 710

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6409733&loc=d3e19366-108361

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- Definition

For a classified balance sheet, the cumulative difference as of the balance sheet date between the payments required by a lease agreement and the rental income or expense recognized on a straight-line basis, or other systematic and rational basis more representative of the time pattern in which use or benefit is granted or derived from the leased property, expected to be recognized in income or expense, by the lessor or lessee, respectively, within one year of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 840

-SubTopic 20

-Section 25

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for employer-related costs not otherwise specified in the taxonomy. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

The aggregate carrying amount, as of the balance sheet date, of liabilities not separately disclosed in the balance sheet.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 15

-Article 9

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

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-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15)

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for estimated claims under standard and extended warranty protection rights granted to customers. For classified balance sheets, represents the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

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-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.20)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 460

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 5

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6397716&loc=d3e11281-110244

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-Topic 460

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 7

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6398077&loc=d3e12524-110249

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