Collection and analysis of open source (OS) information is an effective element of the IAEA's strengthened safeguards system, and has been fully integrated into core Department of Safeguards processes and activities. Over the course of this development, procedures and tools for OS information analysis have focused primarily on text-based information. In the context of the global increase in new media sources and ongoing digitahzation of archival information, an increasing volume of multimedia information is available that is potentially relevant for nuclear safeguards. However, compared to text-based information, multimedia information presents distinct opportunities as well as challenges in information collection, processing, validation, analysis, integration, dissemination, and knowledge management. This paper summarizes opportunities and challenges identified through a pilot effort in the IAEA Department of Safeguards to optimize the integration of multimedia information across a range of potential applications. It details potential applications and distinctive advantages of some types of multimedia information, and sketches future steps toward optimized procedures and tools for multimedia information utilization in Safeguards.
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