Legal
Microscope Terms and Conditions
Last updated: June 30, 2026
These Microscope Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern the purchase of session credits and the use of the Microscope desktop application (“Microscope” or the “App”) supplied by Spiral Science and Technology Inc. (“Spiral”, “we”, “our”, or “us”). They are a standalone agreement specific to Microscope and supplement Spiral’s website Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Where these Terms conflict with the general website terms in respect of Microscope, these Terms prevail.
By purchasing session credits, redeeming an activation code, or using the App, you (“you”, “Customer”) agree to these Terms. If you are entering into these Terms on behalf of a company or other organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization.
1. The Product
Microscope is a Windows desktop application for automated visual inspection and counting. The App uses a computer-vision model to detect and count objects within a user-defined inspection region in real time and to record the result of an inspection.
The App is licensed, not sold. Spiral grants you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to install and use Microscope for your internal business purposes, subject to a valid, active entitlement (see Section 3) and to these Terms.
2. Accounts and the Billing Portal
Session credits are purchased through Spiral’s billing portal at billing.spiral.technology. Access to the portal is by invitation. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of access to your account and for all activity that occurs under it. You agree to provide accurate billing and contact information and to keep it current.
3. Entitlements: Sessions and Days
Your right to use the App’s inspection features depends on holding an active entitlement. There are two independent kinds of entitlement, and you may hold both at once:
- Session credits (“sessions”). A prepaid pool of usage credits. Sessions are consumed as inspection batches are registered (see Section 4). This is the pay-as-you-go modality and is the entitlement currently sold through the billing portal.
- Time-based entitlement (“days”). A fixed number of calendar days during which the App is fully usable without drawing down the session pool.
The license is active while either days remain or the session balance is greater than zero. It is expired only when both the day entitlement has elapsed and the session pool is empty. On expiry, the App locks inspection until a new entitlement is added.
Prices per session, prices per day or duration, bundle sizes, and any volume discounts are set out in Spiral’s then-current published pricing schedule, which is separate from these Terms and may change from time to time. The pricing schedule in effect at the time of your purchase governs that purchase. Contact your account manager for the latest pricing schedule.
4. How Charging Works
The chargeable unit of value is the registration of an inspection batch (a “session”). Browsing, framing the sample, live counting, and configuring the App are not metered. Value is captured only at the moment you register a batch and the App produces a permanent record and image.
What counts as a session. One session is one automated count of up to 100 items. The number of sessions consumed by a registration scales with the number of items counted: counting 100 items uses 1 session, 200 items uses 2 sessions, 300 items uses 3 sessions, and so on (rounded up to the next whole session). For example, a registration that counts 150 items consumes 2 sessions.
- While days remain, registering a batch does not consume sessions.
- Once the day entitlement has elapsed, session billing becomes active, and each registration deducts sessions according to the item count described above, subject to a per-registration cap defined by the product configuration and the published pricing schedule.
- A registration cannot complete if the remaining session balance is insufficient; you will be prompted to top up.
- How a registration is triggered. In automated mode, a session is consumed immediately after a PASS/FAIL result fires. In manual mode, a session is consumed when you press the Register button, or automatically after 5 seconds of a stable count displayed on screen, even if you do not press Register. This 5-second stability period ensures that one billable registration corresponds to one genuine, settled inspection rather than a transient reading.
Every top-up and every consumption event is written to an append-only billing log stored locally on your machine, with timestamp, type, and resulting balance. Your current balance is always visible in the App, and a low-balance warning is shown as the session pool approaches zero.
5. Activation Codes
Entitlements are granted by entering an activation code into the App. There are two kinds:
- Session code — adds a quantity of sessions to your pool. Session codes stack and add to your existing balance.
- Days code — grants or resets a time-based entitlement.
Activation codes are:
- Single-use per machine. Once a code is redeemed on a given installation, it cannot be redeemed again on that machine.
- Validated locally and offline. The App verifies codes cryptographically without contacting a server. Codes are issued by Spiral’s billing system upon successful payment.
You are responsible for safeguarding your activation codes. Treat them like cash: a code is the bearer of the entitlement it represents. Spiral is not responsible for codes that are lost, disclosed, or used by someone you allowed to access them. If you reinstall the App or change hardware, contact Spiral; reissuance of a code already redeemed is at Spiral’s discretion.
6. Payment
Card payments are processed by Stripe. By purchasing, you authorize Spiral, through Stripe, to charge your selected payment method for the amount shown at checkout. Prices are stated in US dollars; your bank or card network may convert to your local currency and may apply fees over which Spiral has no control.
Where Spiral agrees to issue an invoice (for example for payment by bank transfer), the activation code is issued only after payment has been received and confirmed by Spiral. Invoices are issued on a prepaid basis: payment is due on the date the invoice is issued unless Spiral states otherwise in writing.
You are responsible for any taxes, duties, or levies imposed on your purchase, except for taxes based on Spiral’s net income.
7. Refunds
Session credits and days are prepaid licenses to use software functionality. They are not goods and are not redeemable for cash.
- Unredeemed codes. If you have purchased a code but not yet redeemed it on any machine, you may request a refund within 14 days of purchase. Spiral may verify that the code is unredeemed before issuing a refund.
- Redeemed codes / consumed sessions. Once a code has been redeemed on a machine, the entitlement is delivered and is non-refundable, including any unused balance, except where required by applicable law.
Spiral may, at its discretion, reverse or void entitlements associated with a payment that is charged back, disputed, or found to be fraudulent.
8. Expiry and Dormancy
Unless stated otherwise in the published pricing schedule, session credits do not expire. Time-based (“days”) entitlements expire at the end of their period. Spiral may change expiry behavior prospectively for future purchases by updating the pricing schedule; changes do not retroactively shorten entitlements already purchased.
9. No Warranty; Customer Responsibility
Microscope provides automated assistance for inspection and counting. It does not guarantee detection accuracy. Counting and PASS/FAIL verdicts depend on camera, lighting, sample presentation, and the selected model. You remain solely responsible for verifying any result that is critical to safety, quality, compliance, or commercial decisions.
The App is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. Spiral does not warrant that the App will be uninterrupted or error-free.
For any new feature requests or functionality improvements, contact your Account Manager at Spiral.
10. Data and Records
Inspection records and captured images are stored locally on your machine. Spiral does not retain your inspection imagery or records unless separately agreed in writing. You are responsible for backing up and securing your own inspection data and for ensuring your use of the App complies with any laws applicable to the items or environments you inspect.
The billing portal stores the information necessary to process payments and issue codes (such as your email, company, purchase history, and issued codes), as described in the Privacy Policy.
11. Acceptable Use
You agree not to: reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to circumvent the App’s licensing or metering; share, resell, or sublicense activation codes except as permitted; or use the App in violation of applicable law. Entitlements are for the Customer’s own use and are not transferable except with Spiral’s prior written consent.
12. Limitation of Liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Spiral shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, production, or data, arising out of or relating to the App or these Terms. Spiral’s total aggregate liability for any claim arising from your purchase or use of Microscope shall not exceed the amount you paid to Spiral for the entitlement giving rise to the claim in the twelve (12) months preceding the event.
13. Changes to These Terms
Spiral may modify these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date above. Changes apply prospectively. Your continued use of the App or purchase of credits after a change takes effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
14. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any dispute arising under these Terms is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
15. Contact
Spiral Science and Technology Inc.
12 Channel Street, Boston MA 02210
info@spiral.technology