Harris Corp.'s RealSite computer graphics models are featured in the new release of Microsoft's online Virtual Earth 3D mapping service, which was launched Monday. Virtual Earth 3D, as part of Microsoft's Live Search, compiles images of cities and terrain to generate textured, photorealistic 3-D models; it also allows advertisers to buy banner ads that float above buildings in photorealistic environments. RealSite models are created using data from a variety of high-resolution imagery sources, laser imaging detection and ranging (Lidar) and other high-accuracy sensors. Pictometry International Corp. provided the imagery used by Harris to create the models for VirtualEarth 3D, which now depicts RealSite models of 15 US cities: San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Detroit, Phoenix, Houston, Baltimore, Atlanta, Denver, Dallas and Fort Worth. Microsoft said it plans to expand the sites globally. Harris, Pictometry and Microsoft have established a cooperative marketing alliance to develop products using the Pictometry system and Harris Corp.'s geospatial technology.