generates the colormap for visualizing the segmentation mask
            Args:
                num_colors (int): the number of colors to generate in the output palette

            Returns:
                string: the supplied extension, if assertion is successful.

def get_palette(num_colors=256):
    """generates the colormap for visualizing the segmentation mask
            Args:
                num_colors (int): the number of colors to generate in the output palette

            Returns:
                string: the supplied extension, if assertion is successful.

    """
    pallete = [0]*(num_colors*3)
    for j in range(0, num_colors):
        lab = j
        pallete[j*3+0] = 0
        pallete[j*3+1] = 0
        pallete[j*3+2] = 0
        i = 0
        while (lab > 0):
            pallete[j*3+0] |= (((lab >> 0) & 1) << (7-i))
            pallete[j*3+1] |= (((lab >> 1) & 1) << (7-i))
            pallete[j*3+2] |= (((lab >> 2) & 1) << (7-i))
            i = i + 1
            lab >>= 3
    return pallete