Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) |
12 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||
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Dec. 31, 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Basis of Presentation
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. |
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| Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. |
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| Accounts Receivable [Policy Text Block] |
Accounts Receivable
Trade accounts receivable are stated net of a provision for credit losses. The provision for credit losses represents an estimate of the lifetime expected credit losses inherent in trade receivables as of the balance sheet date. The Company assesses the adequacy of the provision for credit losses on a quarterly basis based on historical information and current economic conditions and forecasts. Subsequent changes in the provision for credit losses are recorded in current earnings and reversal of previous losses are permitted under the current guidance. While the Company believes it has exercised prudent judgment and applied reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that in the future, changes in economic conditions or other factors will not cause changes in the financial health of its customers. If the financial health of customers deteriorates, the timing and level of payments received could be impacted and therefore, could result in a change to the Company’s estimated losses.
Trade accounts receivable at December 31, 2023 relate to a product development agreement with Stellantis, a top 10 global automaker, for a custom B-TRAN™ power module for use in electric vehicle (“EV”) drivetrain inverters in Stellantis’ next generation EV platform. At December 31, 2023, the provision for credit losses was $0. |
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| Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment are stated at historical cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Major additions and improvements are capitalized while maintenance and repairs that do not improve or extend the useful life of the respective asset are expensed. Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment is computed using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the life of the asset or the related leases. Estimated useful lives of the principal classes of assets are as follows:
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| Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Intangible Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Intangible Assets
The Company’s intangible assets are composed of patents and trademarks, which are recorded at cost, and other intangible assets, which are recorded at cost plus the estimated present value of all future payments associated with the other intangible assets. The Company capitalizes third-party legal costs and filing fees, if any, associated with obtaining patents, trademarks or other intangible assets. Once the patent asset has been placed in service, the Company amortizes these costs over the shorter of the asset’s legal life, generally 20 years from the initial filing date, or its estimated economic life using the straight-line method. Trademarks are not amortized as trademarks have an indefinite useful life. For the other intangible assets, the Company amortizes the assets over the 11-year and 17‑year terms of the underlying agreements.
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| Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
The long-lived assets, consisting of property and equipment and intangible assets, held and used by the Company are reviewed for impairment no less frequently than annually or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. In the event that facts and circumstances indicate that the cost of any long-lived assets may be impaired, an evaluation of recoverability is performed. Management has determined that there was an impairment in the value of long-lived assets in the amount of $937 during the year ended December 31, 2022. There were impairments in the value of long-lived assets during the year ended December 31, 2023. |
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| Fair Value Measurement, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Fair Value
Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are categorized based on whether or not the inputs are observable in the market and the degree that the inputs are observable. The categorization of financial assets and liabilities within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The three levels of inputs used to establish fair value are the following:
The Company’s financial instruments primarily consist of cash and cash equivalents, accounts payable and long-term liabilities. As of the balance sheet dates, the estimated fair values of the financial instruments were not materially different from their carrying values as presented on the balance sheets. This is primarily attributed to the short-term nature of these instruments.
In 2015, the Company recorded a long-term liability for the estimated present value of future payments under licensing agreements. In 2021, the Company recorded an adjustment to increase the long-term liability due to an increase in the future payments due under these licensing agreements. In 2023, the Company recorded a long-term liability for the estimated present value of future payments under a separate licensing agreement. The Company determined the discount rate to estimate the present value of the future payments based on the applicable treasury rates. The Company’s long-term liability is classified within Level 3. See Note 5 and Note 8 for more details regarding the licensing agreements. The Company did not identify any other assets and liabilities that are required to be presented in the balance sheets at fair value. |
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| Revenue [Policy Text Block] |
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes revenue and related cost of revenue in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” and, as applicable, with the guidance issued by the FASB in June 2018 for the recipients of grants.
In 2023, the Company recognized commercial revenue and grant revenue. Government contracts, including grants, are agreements that generally provide the Company with cost reimbursement for certain types of development activities over a contractually defined period. Grant revenue is recognized in the period during which the Company incurs the related costs, provided that the Company has incurred the cost in accordance with the specifications and work plans determined between the Company and the government entity. Commercial revenue relates to either the development agreements with customers or product sales. Commercial revenue under development agreements is generally recognized upon the completion of contractual deliverables. Commercial revenue from product sales is generally recognized upon shipment of products.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recognized $161,483 of commercial revenue and $37,388 of grant revenue. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recognized commercial revenue and $203,269 of grant revenue. The Company did not have any active government contracts, including grants, at December 31, 2023. |
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| Research and Development Expense, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Research and Development
Research and development costs are presented as a line item under operating expenses and are expensed as incurred. Research and development costs include costs to further develop the Company’s B-TRAN™ technology and related products and include, but are not limited to, the cost of engineering personnel, wafer fabrication, contract labor, driver design and fabrication, device packaging, product development, testing and other engineering services, stock-based compensation for engineering personnel, consulting and materials and supplies. |
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| Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using an asset and liability approach which allows for the recognition and measurement of deferred tax assets based upon the likelihood of realization of tax benefits in future years. Under the asset and liability approach, deferred taxes are provided for the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. A valuation allowance is provided for deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not these items will either expire before the Company is able to realize their benefits, or that future deductibility is uncertain. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company established a full reserve against all deferred tax assets.
Tax benefits from an uncertain tax position are recognized only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate resolution. |
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| Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Net Loss Per Share
The Company applies FASB ASC 260, “Earnings per Share.” Basic earnings (loss) per share is computed by dividing earnings (loss) available to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings (loss) per share is computed similar to basic earnings (loss) per share except that the denominator is increased to include additional common shares available upon exercise of equity awards and warrants using the treasury stock method. In periods with a net loss, no common share equivalents are included because their effect would be anti-dilutive.
In accordance with ASC 260, shares issuable for little or no cash consideration are considered outstanding common shares and included in the computation of basic earnings per share. As such, the Company includes pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of common stock in its computation of earnings per share. The pre-funded warrants were issued in November 2019 with an exercise price of $0.001. See Note 11.
At December 31, 2023 and 2022, potentially dilutive shares outstanding amounted to 1,597,898 and 1,598,034 shares, respectively, and exclude pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of common stock. |
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| Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Policy Text Block] |
Stock Based Compensation
The Company applies FASB ASC 718, “Stock Compensation,” when recording stock-based compensation. Grants to non-employees are also accounted for under ASC 718. The fair value of each stock option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option valuation model. The fair value of each performance stock unit award is estimated on the date of grant using a Monte Carlo simulation.
The Company issues common stock upon exercise of equity awards and warrants. |
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| Concentration Risk, Credit Risk, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents. The Company maintains its cash with a major financial institution located in the United States. Balances are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to $250,000. The Company maintains balances in excess of federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced losses in such accounts and believes it is not exposed to significant credit risk regarding its cash and cash equivalents. |
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| New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block] |
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Management does not believe that any recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if adopted, would have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements. |
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