Reality production company RDF aims to launch the first interactive animated series in the United States.

The firm behind such shows as Fox's “Don't Forget the Lyrics”' and ABC's  “Wife Swap'' is teaming with new-media company Artificial Life to design a TV series in which viewers can participate in the onscreen action.

In the proposed series, ``Sleuths,'' viewers would customize their own avatars, which will appear onscreen during the show's live telecast. A quiz question will be asked three times per half-hour episode, and viewers will text their answers. Those who answer correctly continue to the next round; a wrong answer means elimination from the screen.

At the end of each episode, the top five avatars will appear onscreen with the show's characters.

“It's both a television show and an interactive experience,'' said Max Benator, senior vice president of multiplatform entertainment at RDF USA. “It's revolutionary, and we couldn't be more excited to introduce this to the States.''

The technology -- dubbed MoPA-TV, for “mobile-participation television'' -- has been used successfully in Japan and Europe.

Viewers can go online or use SMS mobile texting to register, select avatars and send answers. – Reuters