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Talking characters on cell phones are the latest rage. But a new subsidiary of Sensory Inc. plans to take that a step up with accurately animated lip-syncing.

The new division of Sensory, 3Dmsg, is planning to launch the animated talking "avatars" to display on cell phone screens this year. Using the company's homegrown animation and voice-recognition technologies, the avatar's lips move as precisely as a real person's do.

Todd Mozer, Sensory's chief executive, said 3Dmsg is working on applications with which cell phone users can create their own animated cartoon character, or snap a photo of themselves and use their image as the basis for the animated avatar.

The animations could work on cell phones with 3-D graphics displays and be used in voice or text messages. "You could send a message to someone with your own image, which can lip-sync the words to 'Happy Birthday' in your own voice," Mozer said.

The first products from 3Dmsg are expected to be announced in the first half of 2006.