File Conversion
Client-side decoding (no server required)
Biom decodes the vast majority of scientific image formats directly in the browser using WebAssembly — no BioFormats server, no conversion step, and no round-trip to a backend. This covers 95%+ of scientific image file types including TIFF, OME-TIFF, CZI, ND2, LIF, DICOM, FITS, and more. Most web-based scientific viewers require a server-side rendering pipeline (typically BioFormats or similar) to convert proprietary formats before they can be displayed. Biom skips this entirely — files open instantly in the browser.Supported client-side formats
| Format | Notes |
|---|---|
| TIFF / OME-TIFF | Multi-channel, Z-stacks, time-series. Tile-based streaming for large files. |
| CZI (Zeiss) | Full multi-channel support, decoded in-browser via WASM. |
| ND2 (Nikon) | Full multi-channel support, decoded in-browser via WASM. |
| LIF (Leica) | Full multi-channel support, decoded in-browser via WASM. |
| DICOM | Medical imaging with window/level presets. |
| FITS | Astronomical images. |
Optional export conversion
While viewing is fully client-side, Biom also supports exporting files to open standards when needed (e.g., for sharing or archival):Metadata extraction
On upload, Biom automatically extracts metadata from your files:| Format | Extracted Fields |
|---|---|
| TIFF/OME-TIFF | Compression, pages, DPI, OME-XML, channels, pixel size |
| PNG/JPEG/WebP | Width, height, color space, DPI, EXIF data |
| DICOM | Format detection, window/level defaults |
| NWB/HDF5 | Format detection, hierarchical structure |
| CSV/TSV | Column count, row count, headers |