Free AI-Assisted

Bio-Safe Palette Tester

Test figure palettes for colorblind and print safety with live CVD previews, conflict warnings, and one-click ggplot2 or matplotlib snippets. Built-in AI agent assistant support.

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Key facts

Key facts about Bio-Safe Palette Tester
FactValue
Palette size2–8 hex colors; presets (Okabe-Ito, Wong, Tol, viridis)
SimulationsNormal, protanopia, deuteranopia, tritanopia, and grayscale rows
Preview modesSwatch strips or mini scatter/line/bar plot previews
BackgroundLight (#FFFFFF) or dark (#18181B) slide/manuscript context
Conflict checkPairwise ΔE matrix; warning below 10, error below 5
Auto-fixOne-click hue/lightness adjustment for flagged pairs
ExportCopy R ggplot2, Python, Prism, hex list, or shareable URL
Runs in browserYes — client-side color math, no image upload
Account requiredNo
AI assistantBuilt-in; analyzes palettes and builds export snippets via API

What it does

Scatter plots and bar charts often ship with palettes that look distinct on screen but collapse into indistinguishable tones for colorblind readers or when printed in grayscale. Checking accessibility in Prism or R requires switching tools, and image-only simulators cannot test hex palettes before you plot.

Bio-Safe Palette Tester is a free browser utility for discrete figure palettes. On the Palette tab, enter 2–8 hex codes, load the Okabe-Ito example, or pick a preset (Wong, Tol, viridis). Each swatch shows a perceptual color name for legend writing, and you can reorder colors to match legend order.

The Simulate tab renders your palette under normal vision plus protanopia, deuteranopia, tritanopia, and grayscale, either as swatches or mini plot previews (scatter points, lines, bars) on light or dark backgrounds. The Conflicts tab flags pairs that are hard to distinguish using a color-coded matrix and offers one-click Suggest Fix adjustments. The Export tab copies ggplot2 scale_color_manual snippets, Python palette lists, Prism color schemes, comma-separated hex codes, or a shareable URL for co-authors.

Why researchers use it

  • Catch indistinguishable color pairs before exporting manuscript figures
  • Preview palettes under all three common color-vision deficiencies plus grayscale
  • Test thin lines and small markers using mini plot previews, not swatches alone
  • Copy ready-to-paste R, Python, or Prism code without retyping hex values
  • Share palette links with co-authors via URL query parameters—no account needed
  • Load journal-safe presets (Okabe-Ito, Wong) in one click

Best for

  • Multi-group scatter plots and bar charts with 3–8 categorical colors
  • Slide decks that must remain readable on both white and dark backgrounds
  • Grant figures reviewed by colorblind collaborators before submission
  • Teaching labs where students build custom palettes in R or Python
  • Print-first journals where grayscale legibility is required

When to use this vs alternatives

Choose Bio-Safe Palette Tester when you already have hex palette values and need fast CVD plus grayscale checks with numeric conflict scoring and code export. Image-based simulators like Coblis require exported screenshots and cannot test Prism mockups directly. Static palette references (ColorBrewer, ggpubfigs) list safe colors but do not score your custom combinations or suggest fixes.

What makes it different

Most accessibility tools accept image uploads or show static reference palettes. Bio-Safe Palette Tester accepts hex input, scores every pair with ΔE conflict flags, simulates realistic plot elements at small scale, and exports snippets for the tools bench scientists actually use—R, Python, and Prism—in one screen.

Researchers switch because checking accessibility after plotting is too late, and separate CVD and grayscale checks waste time. Bio-Safe Palette Tester bundles simulation, conflict detection, auto-fix, and export without uploading data or creating accounts.

How to get started

  1. Open the workspace on the Palette tab and enter hex codes or click Load example.
  2. Optionally choose a preset (Okabe-Ito, Wong, Tol, viridis) or reorder swatches.
  3. Switch to Simulate to compare CVD and grayscale rows; toggle mini plots and background.
  4. Open Conflicts to review the pairwise matrix and click Suggest fix on flagged pairs.
  5. Go to Export to copy ggplot2, Python, Prism, hex list, or share link snippets.

Frequently asked questions

How many colors can I test at once?
The tool supports 2 to 8 discrete hex colors—the typical range for categorical figure legends. The Add color button is disabled at 8 colors.
What does the conflict matrix measure?
Each cell shows CIEDE2000 color difference (ΔE) between two palette colors. Values below 10 are flagged as possible conflicts; below 5 as likely indistinguishable. Hover a cell for the exact score.
Are my colors uploaded to a server?
No. All CVD simulation, grayscale conversion, and conflict scoring run entirely in your browser. Share links encode hex values in the URL query string only.
Which presets are included?
Okabe-Ito (journal standard), Wong, Paul Tol bright, and a discrete viridis sample. You can edit any preset after loading.
Can I use an AI agent with Bio-Safe Palette Tester?
Yes. The built-in assistant can help enter palettes and interpret conflict results. External agents can call the tool over [API & MCP](/tools/developers) using pepkio_bio-safe-palette-tester to analyze palettes or build export snippets programmatically.

Client source code & registry

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