May 20, 2026
SGS is pleased to announce a new project and collaboration with ART+COM to develop and demonstrate the concept of virtual onsite inspections for nuclear arms control and disarmament as a complement to (in-person) onsite inspections.
Traditional inspections are an extremely valuable tool, but they are generally considered intrusive, complex, and costly—and over the years there have been efforts to simplify them. Moreover, providing in-person access to sensitive nuclear facilities is a difficult undertaking. With the expiration of New START in February 2026, there is also a risk that the culture of hosting and working with inspectors at sensitive sites could gradually be lost. The development and demonstration of virtual onsite inspections aims to fill this gap, create a community of arms-control researchers who think about related issues, and perhaps even serve as a catalyst for discussions on the scope of future agreements and their verification.
The project is made possible with generous funding from Longview Philanthropy, and it will culminate with a demonstration exercise involving international participants in 2028.
Our partner ART+COM is a studio utilizing new media to design and develop installations, objects and spaces in both analogue and digital format by using new technology as a means of artistic expression, as a medium for interactive communication and for sensory experiences.
The core project team includes Jürgen Geuter at ART+COM, and Alex Glaser and Tamara Patton at Princeton.