Reality Mobile raises $6.5 million

Reality Mobile, developer of a real-time mobile collaboration platform, has raised $6.5 million in funding.

The funding comes from three firms in the energy sector.  Energy Ventures, which led the round, has invested in high-growth oil and gas technology companies.  Chevron Technology Ventures (CTTV) and Dobson Partnership both joined the round.  

The Herndon, Va.-based startup says it's built an infrastructure to transmit live video from any camera source ranging from cell phones to high-definition cameras.  This video can be shared immediately with any of the users on its system.   

Reality Mobile isn't trying to sell to the day-to-day, YouTube uploading consumer though.  On its site it's created several scenarios for use cases of its Reality Vision product.  This one probably the most intense, 'Cut the Red Wire,' where the company puts its product to use on a dirty bomb threatening to blow up a major port in Mexico.  How does Reality Mobile come into the picture?  The company says its live video streaming capabilites could help bomb diffuse the bomb as teams studying the live footage from a remote location could identify which wires to cut to save the day.

And it's not as far-fetched as it may sound.  Reality Vision said its customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and several country-wide police departments.  Its technologies were used at Super Bowl XL by undercover FBI agents as well.  

The investment from energy-focused firms is in conjunction with Reality Mobile's next vertical, the energy sector.  Reality Mobile said in an announcement,

"imagine a field engineer on a platform in the Gulf of Mexico or the North Sea faced with an unexpected breakdown in the drilling program.  Using RealityVision’s Screencast feature, that engineer can connect to an expert in the home office and the two can share seismic data simulations via their mobile phones to get a better look at what might be causing the issue. This connectivity stands to replace costly helicopter trips to transport these experts out to remote platforms, and reduce operational downtime."

Founded in 2003, the company told the Washington Post it sells its services typically for anywhere from $75,000 to $100,000 and in larger deals can bring in upward of seven figures.