Segment Reporting and Geographic Information - Summary of Segmented Data (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers	$ 19,055	$ 19,560
Intersegment revenues
Segment gross profit	$ 6,187	$ 6,638
Impairment of goodwill and intangibles	$ 1,562	1,773
Restructuring and related charges		294
Depreciation and amortization	$ 455	646
Segment net income (loss) before income taxes	(5,449)	(6,844)
Segment assets	19,314	19,575	$ 19,575
Expenditures for segment assets	137	328
Energy & Security Sonar Solutions [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers	$ 12,093	$ 11,200
Intersegment revenues
Segment gross profit	$ 3,834	$ 3,272
Impairment of goodwill and intangibles
Restructuring and related charges
Depreciation and amortization	$ 185	$ 287
Segment net income (loss) before income taxes	(195)	(414)
Segment assets	15,777	13,367	13,367
Expenditures for segment assets	114	278
GridSense Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers	$ 2,507		$ 4,493
Intersegment revenues
Segment gross profit	$ 20		$ 1,297
Impairment of goodwill and intangibles	$ 1,562		1,773
Restructuring and related charges			198
Depreciation and amortization	$ 158		242
Segment net income (loss) before income taxes	(3,921)		(4,831)
Segment assets	1,107	3,680	3,680
Expenditures for segment assets	5		6
M2M [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers	$ 2,513	$ 2,174
Intersegment revenues
Segment gross profit	$ 1,472	$ 1,182
Impairment of goodwill and intangibles
Restructuring and related charges		$ 76
Depreciation and amortization	$ 70	69
Segment net income (loss) before income taxes	(1,437)	(1,698)
Segment assets	$ 1,691	$ 1,663	1,663
Expenditures for segment assets
Other Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from External Customers	$ 1,942	$ 1,693
Intersegment revenues
Segment gross profit	$ 861	$ 888
Impairment of goodwill and intangibles
Restructuring and related charges		$ 20
Depreciation and amortization	$ 42	48
Segment net income (loss) before income taxes	104	99
Segment assets	739	865	$ 865
Expenditures for segment assets	$ 18	$ 44

Intersegment revenues.

No definition available.

Name:	ACFN_IntersegmentRevenues
Namespace Prefix:	ACFN_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Segment assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ACFN_SegmentAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ACFN_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Segment net income (loss) before income taxes

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ACFN_SegmentNetIncomeLossBeforeIncomeTaxes
Namespace Prefix:	ACFN_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate expense recognized in the current period that allocates the cost of tangible assets, intangible assets, or depleting assets to periods that benefit from use of the assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DepreciationDepletionAndAmortization
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total loss recognized during the period from the impairment of goodwill plus the loss recognized in the period resulting from the impairment of the carrying amount of intangible assets, other than goodwill.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GoodwillAndIntangibleAssetImpairment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1,2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GrossProfit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow for purchases of and capital improvements on property, plant and equipment (capital expenditures), software, and other intangible assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 13
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3213-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireProductiveAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Discloses the amount charged against the accrued restructuring reserves, or earnings if not previously accrued, during the period for the specified type of restructuring cost.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 5.P.4(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27011515&loc=d3e140904-122747

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394359&loc=d3e17939-110869

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 5
-Section P
-Subsection 3, 4

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostIncurredCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Revenues
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ACFN_EnergySecuritySonarSolutionsSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ACFN_GridSenseSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ACFN_MachineToMachineMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=us-gaap_AllOtherSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: