Color Accessibility

Color Accessibility

Color accessibility options were added in the v1.8.11-beta release.

This project makes extensive use of green/red for delineation of if something is good or bad. This poses a problem for those who have a colorblindness. In order to make this system more usable, each device has configuration options for common types of colorblindness. These settings modify the appearance of the Coordinator monitor displays and the front panels of all the other computers. Configurations are done on a per-device basis.

This functionality is both intended to address colors themselves and the areas of the system that may place too much importance on color distinction for operation. I could not address all of those latter cases, but I addressed the notorious NETWORK light on the front panels that can be 4 different colors (plus an off state). Additionally, there are no longer any orange lights on the Coordinator displays.

General UI Changes

Various UI changes occur when selecting any colorblind mode.

• Indicator colors are shifted to be more distinct, with blue replacing green as the "OK" color
• Indicators are black when off instead of gray or a dim color as seen on front panels.
• The multi-color NETWORK indicators are split up into multiple indicators. NT LINKED indicates if the link to the supervisor was successful, NT VERSION indicates if the communications protocol version of the device matches the supervisor' protocol version, and on the Reactor PLC, NT COLLISION indicates if another PLC with the same unit ID is already connected to the supervisor.

If you have a colorblindness and are having trouble with something specific, let me know, and we can work to make it more clear! I used an app to simulate different types of colorblindness in my testing, but maybe some things could be improved.

Color Modes

Three colorblind modes are made available to select that modify the color palette used for green, yellow, and red. Note: green always becomes a shade of blue. On the Coordinator displays, not all colors are shifted. Greens are still present, but are not used in indicator lights.

Deuteranopia

This mode is designed for those with no green cones or reduced sensitivity to greens; Deuternaopia and Deuteranomaly.

Protanopia

This mode is designed for those with no red cones or reduced sensitivity to reds; Protanopia and Protanomaly.

Tritanopia

This mode is designed for those with no blue cones or reduced sensitivity to blues; Tritanopia and Tritanomaly.