Accrued liabilities components (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Accrued Liabilities Components Details
Bonuses	$ 1,143	$ 1,350
Adverse purchase commitments	500	500
Payroll and payroll taxes	631	398
Compensated absences	436	393
Warranty	153	316
Relocation	90	204
Deferred rent credit	37	158
Separation agreement	359	0
Prepayments from customers	1,738	0
Other	777	385
Accrued liabilities	$ 5,864	$ 3,704

No definition available.

Name:	MVIS_AccruedLiabilitiesComponentsDetailsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	MVIS_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Adverse purchase commitments accrued as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	MVIS_AdversePurchaseCommitments
Namespace Prefix:	MVIS_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- 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 FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82887183&loc=d3e6911-107765

Reference 2: 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 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 8
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82887183&loc=d3e6935-107765

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedBonusesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- 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

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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- 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
-Topic 710
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6409733&loc=d3e19366-108361

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CompensatedAbsencesLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The current portion of prepayments received from customers for goods or services to be provided in the future.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CustomerAdvancesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for deferred compensation arrangements payable within one year (or the normal operating cycle, if longer). Represents currently earned compensation under cash arrangements (such as a profit-sharing plan, rabbi trust, and employee contract--excluding equity-based arrangements) that is not actually paid until a later date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 710
-SubTopic 10
-Section 30
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6409875&loc=d3e20028-108363

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 710
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75028277&loc=d3e19793-108362

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationCashBasedArrangementsLiabilityCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- 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 840
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77902458&loc=d3e39927-112707

Reference 2: 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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredRentCreditCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Total of the carrying values as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for obligations related to services received from employees, such as accrued salaries and bonuses, payroll taxes and fringe benefits. Used to reflect the current portion of the liabilities (due within one year or within the normal operating cycle if longer).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of obligations incurred for employer-related costs classified as other, payable within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherEmployeeRelatedLiabilitiesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of liabilities classified as other.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- 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 FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68070138&loc=d3e11281-110244

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68068213&loc=d3e12524-110249

Reference 3: 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

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductWarrantyAccrualClassifiedCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant