ESRI to Integrate GeoFusion's 3D Global Visualization Technology with ArcGIS

High-performance 3D Earth Visualization to Become the Standard for ArcGIS Family of Products

Redlands, California, June 12, 2002 -ESRI announced today plans to integrate GeoFusion, Inc.'s GeoMatrix™ Toolkit technology into the ArcGIS family of geographic information system (GIS) software. GeoFusion's technology provides high-performance, high-quality, three-dimensional visualization of virtually unlimited amounts of imagery, terrain, vector, and annotation data from outer space to street level. Product integration will allow existing ArcGIS geodatabases to be mapped onto a digital earth and explored from a global perspective.

The GeoMatrix technology provides an increased sense of realism with digital earth data through features such as continuous level of detail while zooming, terrain morphing between resolution levels, and multiple globe layers for use with clouds, multiple planets, and so forth.

"GeoFusion's high-performance visualization technology provides us with a global-based interface for managing, exploring, and interacting with ArcGIS geodatabases," says Jack Dangermond, president, ESRI. "The GeoMatrix system creates a new standard for sharing and visualizing digital earth data. Our users will benefit greatly from the 3D performance and adaptability of the GeoMatrix Toolbox. Its object-oriented API fits cleanly with our existing applications, and our software engineers have found it very easy to use and are impressed with the performance and quality of the rendering."

"ESRI has been the dominant force in the GIS industry for more than 30 years, and we are pleased to be partnering with them," says Paul Hansen, president, GeoFusion. "This endeavor will unite the best 3D visualization tools with the world's most powerful GIS software, ESRI's ArcGIS. With this agreement, ESRI users will now have the most robust 3D performance available anywhere."

GeoFusion's GeoMatrix is a state-of-the-art system for maintaining digital earth databases and simulating views of the earth and/or other planets. The GeoMatrix Toolkit provides an application programming interface (API) to low-level and applications-support libraries, example applications, and documentation enabling software engineers to build high-performance interactive digital earth-based applications. Application programmers can add their own content, as well as look and feel, to GeoMatrix-based digital earth applications.

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About GeoFusion, Inc.

GeoFusion, Inc., is a three-dimensional visualization technology company dedicated to putting the earth on everybody's desktop. This vision is being implemented through licensing of its GeoMatrix Toolkit, strategic partner product developments, and custom application and rendering services. Primary markets for GeoFusion are GIS, navigation, government, defense, gaming, entertainment, and consumer. GeoFusion can be found on the Web.

About ESRI

For more than 30 years, ESRI has been the leading developer of GIS software with more than 300,000 clients worldwide. ESRI also provides consulting, implementation, and technical support services. In addition to its headquarters in California, ESRI has regional offices throughout the United States, international distributors in more than 90 countries, and more than 1,400 business partners. ESRI's goal is to provide users with comprehensive tools to help them quickly and efficiently manage and use geographic information to make a real difference in the world around them. ESRI can be found on the Web.

ESRI, the ESRI globe logo, ArcGIS, GIS by ESRI, www.esri.com, and @esri.com are trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of ESRI in the United States, the European Community, or certain other jurisdictions. Other companies and products mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective trademark owners.

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Source: Material used in press releases is often supplied by external sources and used as is.