The Animus lets Desmond Miles experience his ancestors' genetic memories in Assassin's Creed.
The Animus is a fictional machine developed by the Abstergo corporation. It reads genetic memories preserved in a person's DNA and reconstructs them as an interactive experience. Desmond uses it to relive the lives of ancestors such as Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad and Ezio Auditore.
The device provides the series' main link between modern-day characters and historical settings. Although users experience events from an ancestor's perspective, the memories are not ordinary recordings; the Animus interprets inherited information and presents it as a navigable simulation.
The Animus is distinct from the Bleeding Effect. The Bleeding Effect is a condition in which skills and memories from repeated Animus exposure begin to affect the user. It is also different from Pieces of Eden, which are ancient artifacts central to many storylines.